THE 

OLD  BRICK  GHUIIChIs 


OF  MARYLAND 


HELEN   WEST  RIDGELY 


^^ 


i^Mlkakiiiiii 


i<uaidUi^ 


^^j;}^S^^Mc(y> 


MAR  17  1924 


V 


.A 


Section 


THE 


OLD     BRICK     CHURCHES 
©f  fflanjlauti 


The  I.  U.  Chcrch,  Kent. 


THE 


MAR  17  1924 


OLD   BRICK  CHURCHES 


(Bf  jHar^lautJ* 


BY 


HELEN    WEST    RIDGELY. 


WITH     ILLUSTRATIONS 


SOPHIE    DE    BUTTS   STEWART. 


NEW    YORK: 
AXSOX    D.   F.   RANDOLPH    AND    COMPANY 

((NCOKPORATEd), 

182   Fifth   Avenue. 
1894. 


Copyright,  1S94, 
By   Anson  D.  F.  Randolph  and  Co. 

(iNCORPOKATED.) 


BKtiibtrsttg  ^ttss: 
John  Wilson  and  Son,  Cambridge,  U.S.A. 


TO 

Eift  ffLcmox'3   of  mn   (©rantfatljcr, 

JOSEPH   \YHITE    MOULTON, 

A  PIONEER   HISTORIAN    OF   THE  STATE  OF   NEW  YORK. 


PREFATORY    NOTE. 


TIEN  relays  of  fresh  inspiration  are  to  be 
found  along  the  road,  writing  a  book 
becomes  a  veritable  pleasure-trip.  Such, 
indeed,  has  this  book  been  to  nie  from 
the  moment  when  my  cousin,  Miss 
Stewart,  suggested  that  we  should  sally  forth  together 
in  ([uest  of  the  Old  Brick  Churches  of  Maryland, 
and  with  brush  and  pen  accentuate  the  fact  of  their 
existence. 

In  this  pleasure  trip  the  Maryland  Historical  rooms 
might  be  called  our  booking-othce,  the  Episcopal 
Liljrary  our  iirst  inn,  and  the  Rev.  George  A.  Leakin 
our  genial  fellow-passenger,  wdio,  with  others,  has  nidi- 
cated  to  us  the  points  of  interest  along  the  way. 

I  borrow  my  similes,  perforce,  from  stage-coach  days, 
for  I  cannot  forget  that  ]\Iaryland  in  some  sections  is 
to  this  day  a  staging  country.  Tliis  ^^e  discovered, 
o-reatlv  to  our  edification,  when  actual  travel  carried 
us  bevond  the  regions  of  the  railroad  and  the  tele- 
graph, —  bevond  the  bustle  of  modern  life,  where 
Time  is  tvrant,  to  an  Arcadia  where  shifting  shadows 
o-entlv  remind  one  of  the  hour,  and  the  kitchen  clock 


X  prefatory  jjiotc. 

is  regulated  by  the  rise  or  set  of  the  sun.  Indeed,  even 
that  homely  institution  is  sometimes  wanting,  —  as  in 
the  case  of  one  housewife,  who  boiled  her  eggs  while 
singing  the  hymn  "Just  as  I  am;"  a  ver}-  soft-boiled 
egg  requiring  one  verse  only,  while  a  hard-boiled  egg 
required  six ! 

Life  in  these  solitudes  flows  on  with  the  proverbial 
stillness  that  suggests  either  depth  or  stagnation :  we 
found  both. 

At  the  end  of  six  months  our  churches  had  been 
visited,  sketched,  and  discussed ;  yet  the  materials  thus 
gathered  represented  but  the  skeleton  of  a  subject 
which  required  a  judicious  amount  of  padding  to  give 
it  a  lifelike  aspect.  But  all  the  raw-cotton  and  saw- 
dust of  facts  utilized  for  the  purpose  were  in  vain ; 
tlie  desired  effect  seemed  as  far  off  as  before.  At 
last  a  clever  doctor,  who  may  be  said  to  have  felt 
the  pulse  of  the  subject,  exclaimed:  "But  wliere  are 
tlie  people  who  worshipped  in  these  old  churches  1 " 
Thanks,  friend  !  I  have  taken  your  hint,  and  sought 
for  them.  But,  alas !  some  have  been  dead  and  buried 
these  two  hundred  years,  and  I  fear  they  bear  no 
creater  resemblance  to  their  former  selves  than  mum- 
mies  do  to  the  ancient  Egyptians. 

Helen  West  Ridgely. 

IIajipton,  October,  1894. 


An  Old  Map  op  Martlaxd. 


CONTEXTS. 


CHAPTER   I. 

Paces 
The    Cavalier    and    the    Plritan'.  —  "Old    Kext." — St. 
Paul's    Church. — Vestrvjiex  of  St.  Paul's. — An  Old 
Vestrv- House.  —  The    Kev.    Stephen    Bordley.  —  The 
I.  U.  Church.  —  Ejuianiel  Church,  Chestertown    .    1-17 


CHAPTER   II. 

Old  Chester."  —  St.  Luke's,  Wye.  —  The  Tilghmaxs 
AXD  the  Lloyds.  —  The  Rev.  Thom.\s  Bacon.  —  Henry 
Callister. — The  Bennett  Burying-Ground. — St.  Luke's, 
Church  Hill.  —  St.  John's,  Tuckahoe. — Trinity,  Dor- 
chester County.  —  St.  Andrew's,  Somerset  County. 
The  Old  Green  Hill  Church,  Wicomico  County. 
All  Hallows',  Worcester  County.  —  St.  ]Marv's,  Cecil 
County. — A  List  of  the  Original  Parishes  ok  the 
Eastern  Shore  of  Maryland 19-;J1 


CHAPTER    III. 

The  "Ark"  and  the  "  Dove."— "  Old  St.  Mary'.s."— The 
Court-House  Church. — An  Ancient  Manor. —  The  First 
Wedding. —  Ancient  Documents. —  Rev.  Dr.  Bray. —  The 
First  Printing  Press. — John  Coode.  —  Rose  Croft. 
A  Midnight  Escapade.  —  An  Historic  Mulberry    .     35— 17 


xiv  Contents;. 

CHAPTER   IV. 

Pages 

St.  Maky's,  Continued. —  Contributions  towards  a  Clergy- 
man's Support.  —  St.  George's,  Poplar  Hill. — Christ 
Church,  Chaptico.  —  St.  Andrew's. — The  Rev.  Moses 
Tabbs'  Will.- — The  First  Church  of  St.  Clement's 
Bay  Hundred.  —  William  Bretton,  Esq.  —  All  Faith 
Parish. — The  Cool  Springs. — Calvert  County. — Christ 
Church. — Middleham  Chapel. — All  Saints'. — St. Paul's, 
Prince  George's  County 49-63 


CHAPTER  V. 

Puritan  Settlements.  —  The  "  Act  Concerning  Religion." 
The  Quakers.  —  Ancient  Parishes  of  Anne  Arundel 
County.  —  St.  James',  Herring  Creek. — The  Chews    65-77 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Anne  Arundel,  Continued.  —  The  South  River  Club. 
All  Hallows'  Church.  —  The  Rev.  Joseph  Colbatch. 
Marley  Chapel. — Odd  Names. —  St.  Anne's  Parish. 
The  Dorseys.  —  Queen  Caroline  Parish  Church,  How- 
ard County 79-92 


CHAPTER   VII. 

Baltimore  County. —  Anecdotes. —  Daniel  Dulany. —  Capt. 
Charles    Ridgely. —  The    Rev.    John    Coleman. —  Re- 

DEMPTIONERS  AND  CoNVICTS. JeREMIAH  EatOn's  BeQUEST. 

The  Manor  Church.  —  Weddings  in  "Ye  Olden  Time." 
Marriage  Portions 93-112 


Contfiits.  XV 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Pages 

Baltimoke  County,  Cuxtixlku.  —  Uluton's  Garrison.  —  St. 
Thomas'  or  Garrison  Forest  Church.— The  Howards. 
The -Kev.  Thomas  Crauoi  k. —  Schoolmasters  in  "  Yi: 
Olden  Time."— A  Tax  ox  Bachelors.— The  Kev.  Dk. 
Coke  and  the  Methodists.  —  St.  Thomas'  Chirchyard. 
A  List  of  the  Oriuixal  Parishes  ox  the  Western 
Shore  uf  the  Chesapeake 11.3-11'!) 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Pace 

The  I.  U.  Church,  Kent Fmnuspiece 

Ax  Old  Map  of  Marylaxd ix 

St.  Paul's,   Kent 7 

A  Picturesque  Corxer,   Chestertowx 10 

Doorway  of  the  Xew  Ciioii;,   St.  Thomas' 21 

St.  Luke's,   Wye 25 

Somerset  Parish  Commuxiox  Silver 31 

Old  Greex  Hill  Church  before  it  was  restored      .     .  32 

Trixity  Church,   St.  Mary's .39 

Ax  Old  Maxor  House 41 

Ax  Old  Parsoxage riG 

St.  James'  Church,  Herrixg  Creek 67 

St.  James',  Herrixg  Creek,   Church  Silver 71 

Graves  of  the  Dick  Family 82 

Marley  Chapel    85 

Tombs  of  the  Moale  Family 102 

St.  James',  or  the  ]Maxor  Church Kk; 

St.  Thomas',  or  Garrisox  Forest  Church 115 

Silver  beloxgixg  to  St.  Thomas',   Garrisox  Forest  .     .  126 


Cl)aptcr  I. 


THE    CAVALIER    AND    THE    PITIITAX.  —  "  OLD    KENT." 

ST.  PAULS  CHURCH.  — VESTRYMEN  OF  ST.  PAUL'S. 

AN  OLD  VESTRY-HOUSE.  — REV.   STEPHEN 

BORDLEY.  —  THE   L  U.   CHURCH. 

EM.MAXUEL   CHUHCH. 

CHESTERTOWN. 


$ 


(Dlti  Brick  Cljuvdjts  of  ilarj>lautj. 


^^f^^^^^  N   local   lii.story,  the  jjicturesque  has  gen- 
pi,^]^      erally  taken  precedence  of  the  practical, 
hecaiise  it  first  rivets  the  attention  as  an 


(il)ject-lesson.  When  details  are  entered 
into,  other  parts  of  the  drama  come  to 
the  front  to  claim  their  jnst  position  and  consideration. 
The  picturesqne  in  Maryland  has  been  represented  by 
its  band  of  Cavaliers,  \vho,  in  the  costnme  of  Charles  I., 
Avith  flowing  locks,  pointed  goatee,  and  erratic  mustache, 
took  all  hearts  captive  to  their  bold,  reckless,  mem-, 
idle  life.  But  fashions  change ;  Yandvke  gives  place 
to  Kneller,  and  he  in  his  turn  to  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds. 
Can  it  be  that  ^laryland  has  furnished  no  type  of  the 
picturesque  save  the  Cavalier  and  the  stately  dame  ? 
Have  there  been  no  subjects  for  tlie  brush  of  a  Gerard 
Dow,  a  Jules  Breton,  or  a  L'Herinite, — no  examples 
from  the  life  of  the  people,  breathing  tlie  poetry  of 
common  things?  Is  there  no  recognition  for  those 
who  have  borne  the  burden  and  heat  of  the  day,  and 
laid  the  foundations  of  a  purer  social  life? 


4  tl)t  ©Id  llBricfe  Cljurcljcs  of  iiparv^lanD. 

The  lawlessness  we  generally  associate  with  the  gay 
Cavalier,  but  which,  on  account  of  hit^  amiable  qualities 
we  find  it  so  easy  to  forgive,  received  numerous  checks 
in  Maryland  from  his  natural  enemy,  the  stern  Pui'itan, 
who,  as  early  as  1650,  reigned  supreme  on  the  banks  of 
the  Severn,  and  supplied  his  quota  of  burgesses  to  the 
Assembly  of  Maryland,  held  at  St.  Mary's. 

The  two  bodies  assumed  a  mutual  hostility  in  1655, 
when  the  men  of  Severn  shouted  their  battle-cry,  "  In 
the  name  of  God,  fall  on;  God  is  our  strength!"  over- 
powering tlie  "  Hey  for  St.  Mary's,  and  wives  for  us 
all !  "  of  their  dashing  opponents. 

Another  blow  to  the  Cavalier  was  dealt  in  1692, 
when  Maryland  fell  imder  the  jurisdiction  of  Eng- 
land's king,  the  sagacious  William. 

St.  Mary's  was  shorn  (if  her  glorj-  as  the  capital  of 
tlie  province  in  1695,  when  she  was  supplanted  by  her 
liated  rival  on  the  banks  of  the  Severn.  This  rival, 
bearing  the  name  "  Annapolis,"  became  henceforth  the 
hub  of  State  affairs. 

At  the  time  of  William  and  Mary's  accession,  Prot- 
estant sects  formed  more  than  three  fourtlis  of  the 
population  of  Maryland,  but  there  were  few  worthy 
leaders  among  them.  An  established  ministry  seemed 
to  be  tlie  crying  need  of  the  times,  and  the  Episcopal, 
or  National  Church  of  England,  was  consequently 
adopted.  Parishes  were  laid  out,  and  a  poll  tax  of 
forty  pounds  of  tobacco  imposed  for  tlie  support  of 
the    ministry.      Vestrymen    and    church    wardens    were 


(DID  lunt.  5 

appointed  to  attend  to  the  secnlar  aBairs  of  tlic  cluirch, 
and  to  serve  as  guardians  of  the  public  morals. 

The  ancient  manor  houses,  now  scattered  through  the 
lower  counties  of  Maryland,  are  so  many  monuments  to 
the  dejiarted  glory  of  the  Cavalier,  while  the  old  brick 
churches  and  their  oftshoots,  the  chapels  of  ease,  are  so 
many  witnesses  to  the  vigorous  growth  of  the  people,  who 
in  some  of  the  most  important  crises  of  our  national  lite, 
have  made  a  stand  for  the  public  good.  It  is  to  the  life 
of  the  people  centring  around  these  old  brick  churches 
that  we  would  now  draw  attention. 

The  Isle  of  Kent,  on  the  eastern  shore  of  the  Chesa- 
peake, is  the  spot  where  the  seed  of  cluuvhmanship 
was  first  sown.  Kent  was  represented  in  the  Virginia 
Assembly  by  Captain  Nicholas  Martin,  before  Lord  Bal- 
timore's charter  was  granted,  and  before  Maryland  re- 
ceived her  name.  It  became  later  the  subject  of  contest 
between  Lord  Baltimore  and  Colonel  William  Claiborne, 
who  had  purchased  it  from  native  kings,  and  had 
formed  a  Protestant  settlement  there  as  early  as  1G30. 
Like  Kent  iu  England,  which  was  the  first  to  be  con- 
quered l)V  tlie  Anglo-Saxon,  Kent  in  Maryland  was  the 
iirst  to  fall  before  the  power  of  the  invader,  and  Clai- 
liorne,  with  his  followers,  was  obliged  to  flee.  Their 
lands  were  confiscated,  and  among  those  who  suffered 
exile  was  the  Reverend  Richard  James,  who  retin-ned 
to  England,  and  died  at  the  house  of  Sir  Richard  Cotton, 
in  163S. 

The   traditions   of    Episcopacy   were   not   destroyed. 


6  t\)t  MH  115ricfe  Cl)urtl)fs  of  sl9ariilanD. 

however,  and  as  early  as  1650  we  find  Kent  Island 
in  possession  of  a  church  whose  successor,  built  of 
English  brick  on  a  granite  foundation,  was  standing  as 
late  as  1880,  in  a  grove  of  venerable  oaks  near  Broad 
Creek,  an  inlet  of  the  Chesapeake.  Christ  Church  at 
Stevensville,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  distant,  is  })artly 
constructed  from  the  brick  of  this  ruin,  and  rears  its 
head  in  proud  consciousness  of  lineal  descent  from  the 
first  authenticated  church  edifice  in  the  province. 

This  seems  a  strange  statement  to  make  in  the  face 
of  prevailing  Roman  Catholic  traditions,  but  it  is  true. 
The  Catholic  Lord  Projirietary,  although  he  had  the 
power  to  license  the  erection  of  churclies,  was  obliged, 
bv  tlie  terms  of  the  charter,  to  see  that  "the  same 
should  be  dedicated  and  consecrated  according  to  the 
ecclesiastical  laws  of  England;"  and  as  the  laws  of 
England  were  at  that  time  antagonistic  to  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church,  the  Jesuits  contented  themselves  with 
building  chapels. 

The  Isle  of  Kent  has  ever  been  noted  for  the  beauty 
of  its  scenery  and  the  wealtli  of  its  waters,  and  it  is 
thought  to  be  the  only  place  of  settlement  of  the  col- 
onists on  the  Eastern  Shore  before  the  year  1652.  At 
this  time  we  find  Colonel  Richard  Bennett  and  Edward 
Lloyd  making  a  treaty  of  peace  with  the  Susquehanna 
Indians,  by  which  the  latter  gave  up  "all  land  lying 
from  the  Patuxent  to  Palmer's  Island,"  —  now  Watson's, 
—  "on  the  west  side  of  the  Chesapeake  Bay,  and  from 
the  Choptank  River  to  the  northeast  branch  which  lies 


St.  Paul's,  Kent. 


§>t.  paul'g  CljuicU.  7 

to   the   iiortli  (if   the   VAk    IJivcT  on    the  eastern  side  of" 
the  bay." 

The  name  of  Edward  Lloyd  and  his  estate  <if'  Wye 
point  to  a  Welsli  origin. 

Kent  County  was  organized  in  IGoO,  and  at  that  time 
embraced  most  of  tiie  territory  on  tlie  Eastern  Shore. 
The  Chester  Kiver  enters  into  Chesapeake  Bay  between 
the  Isle  of  Kent  and  Eastern  Neck  Island.  Eastern 
Neck,  north  of  the  island,  is  intersected  by  Cliurch 
Creek,  so  named  because  upon  its  banks  was  buiU  the 
first  church   of  the  main  land. 

James  llinggold,  of  lluntingfield,  lord  of  the  manor 
on  Eastern  Neck,  was  doubtless  one  of  tlie  builders  of 
this  cluu-ch,  and  one  of  the  founders  of  the  town  of  New 
Yarmouth,  on  Gray's  Inn  Creek,  a  few  miles  distant. 
This  town  was  prominent  as  a  port  of  entry  in  1G84, 
and  was  tiie  county  town  for  a  period  of  twenty  years; 
but  its  site  is  now  only  a  matter  of  conjecture.  It  is 
said  that  the  foundation  stones  of  a  church  may  be  seen 
at  very  low  tide,  and  that  on  the  land  have  been  dis- 
covered tondjstones  and  Ijrick  arches  of  srraves.  In 
17()G,  Chestertown,  twelve  miles  further  up  on  the 
Chester  River,  became  the  county  town,  and  has  re- 
tained the  position  to  the  present  day.  By  drawing  a 
line  from  Chestertown  to  Gray's  Inn  Creek  in  a  south- 
west direction,  we  have  the  hypothenuse  of  a  right- 
angled  triangle,  at  whose  aj)ex  is  to  be  found  tlie  (ddest 
<'hurch  remaining  in  Kent  County.  This  is  the  parish 
church  of  St.  Paul's      Around  this  venerable  structure 


8  tl)e  ©Id  5lBiich  Cl)urcl)rs  of  SlDarrlanD. 

are  stationed  primeval  oaks,  spreadin<^  their  patriarchal 
branches  over  the  trees  of  a  younger  generation,  and 
over  the  gi-aves  of  nearly  two  centuries.  The  quaintest 
of  gravestones  bears  the  following  inscription:  — 

Hf;RE  LYES  THE  BODY  OF 

DAVID  COLEY.      HE  DEPARTED 

THIS  LIFE  OCTOBER  Y"  20  17J9. 

OUT  BY  JOHN  GODFREY. 

On  the  foot-stone  is  carved  the  fcdlo^^■ing•  epitaph  :  — 

Behold  and  see  now  where  I  lye, 
As  you  are  now  soe  once  was  I, 
As  I  am  now  soe  must  you  he. 
Therefore  prepare  to  follow  me. 

The  first  page  of  the  Parish  Records  begins  with  the 
following  entry:  — 

Pursuant  to  an  act  of  Assembly  Entitulcd  an  Act  for  the 
Establishment  of  the  |)rotcstant  Religion  in  this  Province, 
wherein  it  is  ordered  that  the  Counties  within  the  Province 
of  Maryland  sliall  be  Divided  into  Parishes,  and  likewise  by 
the  same  Law  it  is  ordered  that  tlie  Justices  of  the  County 
with  the  freeholders  shall  chuse  six  Vestrymen  for  Each  re- 
spective Parish,  which  According  was  done  and  performed  the 

24th.    Pay   of  Janry  —  Anno    qui    Domini    1G93. whose 

names  are  hereunder  inserted, 

viz' :^  Mr.  Thos.  Smith.  Mr.  Cuas.  Tilden. 

}  Mr.  Wm.  Fkisby.  Mr.  Mi<  h.   JIiller. 

(  Mr.  Hans.  Hanson.  Mr.  Simon  Wilmer. 

Janry  — 30th.      1093. 

Acquaintance  with  these  vestrymen  may  be  formed 
from  the  well-preserved  records  of  Kent  County  and 
from  the  traditions  of  a  proud  posterity. 


©rstrvnun  of  fe>t.  pnul's.  9 

Thomas  Smith  jipjicars  on  the  rccm-ds  as  Colonel 
Tlioiiias  Smytlie.  He  was  the  L;ran(ls(in  of  Sir  'riioiiias 
Siintlic,  'ri'easiircr  ot"  the  Vir<i-iiiia  C(iiii|i:iii\',  Ijctwccii 
IGUG  anil  liils.  lie  was  also  one  of  the  signers  ot"  the 
petition  to  William  and  Mary  in  1G89  for  the  establish- 
ment of  the  Protestant  relii^ion  in  Mar\-lan(l.  In  H;94 
he  was  chosen,  with  William  Frisby,  Hans  Hanson, 
and  John  Hynson,  to  serve  as  burgesses,  and  in  KJDT 
these  names  appear  in  a  public  document  tVoin  which 
the  following  extract  mav  prove  interesting:  — 

"William  the  Third,  l.y  tlie  uracc  of  Cod,  Kiiia-,  DofiMider  of 
the  Faith,  Ac.  .  .  .  We  have  also  constituted  and  appointed 
yon  and  every  i'onr  or  more  of  yon  of  which  yon  the  said 
William  Frisby,  John  Hynson,  Hans  Hanson  and  Thomas 
Smyth  or  one  of  yon  arc  allways  to  he  one  of  the  Connnis- 
sioners  to  Enqnire  of  the  Oaths  of  good  and  Lawfnll  men  of 
yonr  connty  aforesaid,  of  all  maimer  of  Felonies,  Witchcrafts, 
Inchantmcnts,  Sorceries,  Jfagick  arts,  Trespasses,  Forestallinirs, 
Inurossings  and  Extortions  whatsoever  &  of  all  and  singnlar 
other  misdeeds  &  offences  whatsoever  of  wjiirli  Justices  of  the 
Peace  in   England    may  or  onght  Lawfnlly  to  Hn(|nirc." 

Of  witchcrafts,  etc.,  there  were  but  few  cases  in  Mary- 
land, one  woman  only  having  lost  her  life  on  suspicion 
of  being  a  witch,  when  she  was  thrown  overboard  by 
frightened  sailors  during  a  storm. 

Thomas  Smythe  presented  to  the  church  of  St.  Paul's 
in  1G99  a  communion  service,  consisting  of  one  chalice 
of  silver  and  one  plate  of  silver,  which  are  still  in  u.se, 
and  bear  this  inscription  :  "  The  gift  of  '$'  to  the  Parish 
of  St.  Paul's  on  the  north  side  of  Chester."     The  vestry 


10 


ti)r  #lD  ffirich  Cljurcljcs  of  sl9aii'lanD. 


books  also  record  the  gift  of  a  pul])it  cloth  and  cushion 
from  his  wife,  "  Eliner  Smythe."  This  has  undoubtedly 
been  long  since  appropriated  l)y  tlie  historic  moth. 
Thomas  Smythe's  estate  of  Trumpington  adjoined  that 
of  James   Ringgold,   A\]iose   nanu^  is  also   prominent  in 


A  I'lc'TritEsyiE  Corner,  Ciiesteutown. 

the  history  of  Kent.  In  the  generations  of  Smythe 
that  follow,  are  to  be  found  an  Honorable  and  a  Major, 
and  a  liouse  in  Chestertown,  dating  from  colonial  times, 
still  attests  to  the  standing  of  the  Ringgold  fiimily. 


©rstrvMiifu  of  «»t.  paiil'6.  11 

Southeast  of  St.  Paul's  was  the  home  ot  the  Frisbys, 
one  ot"  whom  married  the  granckhui<ilitcr  of  Simon  Wil- 
mer,  a  j)atriarch  whose  descendants  are  found  Hke  twigs 
upon  the  genealogical  trees  of  other  families.  The  name 
of  Wilmer,  moreover,  has  to  tliis  day  been  distinguished 
in  the  C'hureh  and  in  the  Law. 

The  Tildens  were  men  of  standing  in  England,  and 
their  coat  of  arms  is  as  follows  :  — 

Arms.     Azure,  a  saltier,  erniiiu',  between  four  plieon.s.     Or, 
Crest.     A  battle-a.xe  erect,  entwined  witli  a  snake,  iiropcr. 
Motto.     Truth  and  Liberty. 

Michael  Miller,  on  whose  land  the  church  was  bitilt^ 
"  repaid  again  as  a  gift  to  the  church  "  the  two  thousand 
))ounds  of  tobacco  which  he  had  received  for  the  land. 
This  o-entleman  was  chosen  burg-ess  in  1685,  and  church- 
warden  in  1700;  but  that  did  not  exempt  him  from 
his  duties  as  vestr^anan,  for  it  is  recorded  tliat  (.m 
July  20th,  1695,  he  was  fined  one  hundred  pounds  of 
tobacco  for  being  absent  twice  from  the  meetings  of  the 
vestry. 

Hans  Hanson  was  the  only  vestrvnian  whose  ances- 
tors were  not  all  English.  His  grandfather,  whose 
mother  was  a  Swede,  served  with  lioiior  in  the  army 
of  Gustavus  Adolphus,  and  lost  his  life  at  the  battle 
of  Liitzen,  while  defending  his  king.  The  parents  of 
Hans  were  Andrew  Anderson  Hanson  and  his  wife 
Annika,  who  in  1642  emigrated  with  the  Swedish  set- 
tlers under  Lieutenant  John  Printz  to  Xew  Sweden 
on  the  Delaware.     Hans  was  born  on  Tinicum  Island  in 


12  tljr  #ID  y&xitk  dmiclKB  of  iipariilauD. 

1646,  but  came  to  Maryland  in  1653,  when  his  parents 
were  driven  from  Delaware  by  the  Dutch.  In  the 
County  Records  we  find  the  name  of  Colonel  Hans 
Hanson  associated  with  positions  of  honor  and  trust, 
and  his  blood  has  flowed  in  the  veins  of  most  of  the 
prominent  Kent  Islanders  from  that  time.  After  his 
marriage,  in  1679,  he  purchased  from  Charles  Vaughan 
the  estate  of  Kimbolton,  lying  on  the  north  side  of 
Chester  River  and  on  the  west  side  of  Langford's  Bay, 
near  the  mouth  of  Broad  Neck  Branch.  He  lived  there 
till  he  died  in  1703.  The  Hanson  coat  of  arms,  handed 
down  from  Colonel  Hanson  of  the  Swedish  army,  was 
as  follows  :  — 

Arms.  Azure,  a  cross  betonnee,  cantoned  by  four  fleurs-de-lis, 
argent. 

Crcsf.     A  martlett,  proper. 

Motto.     Sola  virtus  invicta. 

It  differs  from  that  of  the  English  branch,  but  the 
motto  is  the  same.  The  grandson  of  Colonel  Hanson 
was  Gustavus  Hanson,  who  served  with  our  revolution- 
ary pati'iots,  severing  all  connection  with  his  English 
relations,  though  his  l)ride,  Catherine  Tilden,  had  re- 
ceived from  his  family  in  England  a  "  magnificent  silk 
dress  inwrought  with  bullion  thread,"  a  portion  of  which 
is  still  preserved  by  a  descendant. 

In  the  history  of  those  times,  we  find  that  the  Privy 
Councillors,  County  Court  Judges,  High  Sherifis,  and 
Burgesses  were  all  planters,  and  the  large  plantations, 
with  their  group  of  storehouses  and  cabins,  assumed  the 


011  tfi>lD  Dfstrv Dousf.  13 

cliaracter  of  towns,  and  the  state  of  society  was  feudal. 
Among  customs  repugnant  to  modern  ideas  was  that 
which  sanctioned  the  corporal  punishment  of  servants. 
A  case  is  on  record  where  the  jury  found  that  the  pun- 
ishment of  a  maid-servant,  although  not  the  cause  of 
her  death,  was  "  unreasonable,  considering  her  weak 
estate  of  body,"  and  the  court  imposed  a  fine  of  three 
hundred  ])Ounds  of  tobacco  fur  the  "  unchristianlike 
punisluncnt."  The  rod  used  on  the  occasion  was  from 
a  peach-tree,  which  shows  that  Kent  was  then,  as  it  is 
now,  a  fruit-growing  country.  With  William  the  Third 
the  cane  came  into  vogue,  and  we  may  picture  to  our- 
selves inisciblc  gentlemen  of  the  old  school  shaking 
their  canes  at  refractory  subjects. 

A  few  vards  from  St.  Paul's  Church  stands  the  vestry- 
house  bearing  the  date  17GG  in  I)rick  mosaic  on  its  south 
side.  Here  the  ve.strv  held  their  courts,  and  an  indica- 
tion of  the  nature  of  some  cases  coming  under  their 
jurisdiction  is  found  in  an  extract  from  the  Parish 
Records,  dated  Feb.  10,  1G!J.5  :  "Likewise  ordered  by 
this  vestrv  that  the  churcliwardciis  adiiioiiisli  Ivlward 
Plesto  and  Elizabeth  North  to  live  separately."  WHien 
admonitions  failed,  the  parties  were  sunnnoned  to  ap- 
pear l^efore  the  vestry,  and  if  they  still  persisted  in  their 
wav,  they  were  finally  handed  over  to  the  civil  authori- 
ties to  be  punished  according  to  law.  The  vestrA'-room 
was  a  place  of  social  as  well  as  business  meeting  for 
those  who  perhaps  never  met  their  neighbors  excepting 
on  Sunday.     Here  the   men    may  have  negotiated  the 


14  tl)(  *@lD  515rtch  CljurcljfS  of  tl^arvHauD. 

sale  of  their  crops,  ami  joined  the  women  at  a  fruyal 
repast,  indnlginy  in  a  bit  of  gossip  around  the  blazing 
logs.     The  colonial  church  was  never  heated. 

Before  the  vestry-house  was  built,  vestry  meetings 
took  place  at  private  houses  or  at  the  court-house,  wliicli 
stood  first  at  New  Yarmouth  and  afterwards  at  Ciiester- 
town.  Every  court-house  had  its  "  ordinary,"  a  place 
licensed  to  sell  liquors,  for  which  the  rates  were  fixed  by 
the  court. 

In  1686  on  the  court-house  wall  of  New  Yarmoutli 
was  posted  the  following  list  of  drinks  :  — 

Lbs.  of  Tobacco. 

Brandy  per  gall 100. 

Eum  per  gall 080. 

Brandy  Burnt  per  gall 100. 

Cider  per  gall 020. 

Quince  drink  &  Perry  per  gall 025. 

Slierry  wines  per  gall 120. 

Port  wines  per  gall 060. 

Claret  &  white  wine  per  gall 060. 

Canary  per  gall 150. 

A  Bowl  of  Punch  with  one  quart  of  Rum  &  Ingre- 
dients per  gall 040. 

Ditto  Brandy  per  gall 060. 

Madeira  per  gall 076. 

Molasses  beer  per  gall 012. 

Mault  beer — strong  —  per  gall 020. 

The  first  rector  of  St.  Paul's  was  the  Rev.  Mr.  Vander- 
bush,  who  was  chosen  by  two  members  of  the  vestry 
commissioned  to  engage  him  for  a  year  for  the  sum  of 
eight  thousand  pounds  of  tobacco.  He  died  in  1G96, 
when  Governor  Nicholson  sent  to  svxcceed  him  the  Rev. 


Stephen  Bordlev,  with  the  following  form  of  installation, 
which  was  at  that  time  used  in  Maryland:  — 

The  Dearer  hereof  is  Mr.  Stephen  Bordley,  who  is  sent  by 
the  Right  llou'blc  and  Right  Rcv'd  Father  in  God,  Henry  Lord 
Bishop  of  London,  in  order  to  oiriciate  as  a  elergynian  of  thi- 
Church  of  Enirland  in  this  his  Majestie's  Province  of  Maryhmd  ; 
I  do  tlierefore,  in  his  Majestie's  name  appoint  the  same  Mr. 
Stephen  Bordley  to  officiate  as  a  clergyman  of  the  Church 
of  England  in  the  Parish  of  St.  Paul's  in  Kent  county.  Given 
under°my  hand  and  Seal  at  the  Port  of  Annapolis,  the  23d 
day  of  June,  in  the  9th  year  of  the  reign  of  our  Sovereign  Lord 
William  the  third,  by  the  grace  of  God,  of  England,  Scotland, 
France   and  Ireland,  King,  defender  of  the   Faith,  Ac,  Anno 

Domini,  1697.  _  .^ 

'  Francis  Nicholson 

(Seal) 
To  the  Vestrymen  of  St.  Paul's  Parish,  Kent  Co.  —  These. 

The  Rev.  Stephen  Bordley  died  in  1709.  His  influ- 
ence, like  that  of  other  good  pastors,  seems  to  have 
infused  into  the  church  a  store  of  vitality  which  enabled 
it   to   survive   periods    of   religious   famine   and   moral 

depression. 

Other  entries  on  the  ohurcli  records  show  that  the 
collections  taken  up  at  Christmas,  Easter,  and  Whit- 
sunday went  to  defray  the  cost  of  wine  used  at  the  Holy 
Communion.  We  here  learn  also  that  after  1715,  when 
the  Hanoverian  succession  was  threatened  hy  the  Pre- 
tender, vestrymen  took  an  oath  of  "Allegiance  and 
Abhorrency,"  and  continued  to  take  the  "Test  Oath," 
which  excluded  Catholics  from  office.  The  oath  of 
Allegiance  and  Abhorrency  is  as  follows  :  — 


16  t\)t  ©ID  ^rirk  Cljttrtljcs  of  illBtUDlanD. 

I,  A.  B.  do  swear  that  I  do  from  my  lioart  abhor  detest  & 
abjure  as  impious  &  heretical  that  damnable  doctrine  &  position 
that  princes  excommunicated  or  deposed  by  the  pope  or  any  au- 
thority of  the  Sec  of  Rome  may  be  deposed  or  murdered  by  their 
subjects  or  any  otiier  whatsoever  &  1  do  declare  that  no  foreign 
prince  or  prelate,  state  or  potentate  hath  or  ought  to  liave  any 
jurisdiction,  power,  superiority  or  authority  ecclesiastical  or 
spiritual  within  the  Kingdom  of  G'  Britain  or  any  of  tlie  domin- 
ions thereto  belonging,  so  lielp  me  (iod. 

St.  Paul's  Church  was  rebuilt  in  1713,  and  we  have 
reason  to  believe  that  the  same  walls  are  now  standing, 
as  their  dimensions  and  structure  conform  to  a  descrip- 
tion recorded  at  that  time.  By  it,  we  learn  that  tlie 
church  was  forty  feet  loui^-  by  thirty  feet  wide  and  six- 
teen feet  liiffh.  The  walls  were  two  and  a  lialf  In'icks 
tliick,  and  there  was  "  a  circle  at  the  east  end."  The 
first  (Hiapel  of  Ense  of  St.  Paul's  Pari.sh,  now  known 
as  the  I.  U.  Church,  originally  bore  the  name  of  Saint 
Peter ;  but  it  seems  tlint  the  saint  was  less  honored  than 
one  John  Usidon,  a  considerable  landowner,  whose 
initials  decorated  a  sign-post  at  the  cross-roads  where 
the  chapel  stood.  Of  the  church  built  in  17(iS  no 
trace  is  left ;  the  present  one  represents  tlie  })arisli 
of  I.  U.,  created  about  the  year  1802,  l)ut  now  only 
interesting,  as  are  some  individuals,  on  account  of 
ancestry.  A  large  1.  U.,  in  a  different  colored  brick  on 
tlie  chancel  end,  is  the  badge  entitling  it  to  consider- 
ation, while  the  fine  old  pines  clustered  around  it  are 
like  faithful  retainers,  striving  to  conceal  the  defects 
of  an  unworthy  offspring. 


Cmmanurl  Cljurtl;.  17 

At  Chestertowu  is  a  clmrcli,  finislicd  in  1770,  jis  a 
Chapel  of  Ease  to  the  I.  U.  Church.  If  was  renK)(klk-<l 
some  years  ago,  is  now  tlie  jxirish  chiurh,  and  is  known 
as  EninianiK'l. 

Before  closing  this  cliaptcr,  it  may  be  well  to  explain 
what  is  meant  by  a  "  Cliapel  of  Ease."  At  the  time  ot 
the  Establishment,  there  were  ten  counties  in  Maryland. 
These  were  laid  out  into  thirty-one  parishes,  covering 
such  large  tracts  that  man\'  families,  in  order  to  reach 
the  parish  ehurcli.  wliirli  \>y  law  the\'  were  tm-ced  to 
attend,  hail  to  drive  to  the  spot  on  Satnrda\,  that  thev 
might  be  in  time  for  service  on  Sunday, — a  "Sabbath 
da)''s  journey"  being  ahead  of  them  before  thev  could 
reach  home  again.  To  rectif\  this.  Chapels  of  Ease 
were  built  in  the  outlvinj'-  ilistricts  of  laroe  i)arishes ; 
but  where  two  or  more  churches  alread}'  stood  in  tlie 
same  area,  one  of  them  invariabh'  became  the  parish 
ehincli.  and  the  others  the  ('hapels  of  Ease,  and  the  rec- 
tor was  obliged  to  miinster  in  turn  to  each.  Whenever 
a  supplementary  church  was  needed,  it  was  or<lered  b^■ 
Act  of  Assenddy  that  a  ( 'hapel  of  Ea.se  should  Ije  built 
"  for  the  furtherance  of  God's  religion." 


Cljaptcr  II. 


'OLD  CHESTER."  —  ST.  LUKE'S,  WYE.  —  THE  TILGHMANS 
AND  THE  LLOYD.S.  — THE  REV.  THOMAS  BACOX.  -  HENUY 
CALLISTER  -  THE  BENNETT  BURYING -GROUND.  —  ST. 
LUKE'S.  CHURCH  HILL. —  ST.  JOHN'S.  TUCKAHOE.  —  TRIN- 
ITY, DORCHE.STER  COUNTY. —  ST.  ANDREWS,  SOMERSET 
COUNTY. —  THE  OLD  GREEN  HILL  CHURCH,  WICOMICO 
COUNTY. —  ALL  HALLOWS',  WORCESTER  COUNTY.  —  ST. 
MARY'S,  CECIL  COUNTY.  —  A  LIST  OF  THE  ORIGINAL 
PARISHES  OF   THE   EA.STERN   SHORE  OF   MARYLAND. 


$ 


II. 


East  of  the  Island 
of   Kent    an  d 
south     of     tlie 
Chester    K  i  v  e  r, 
lies  a  large  area 
of    fertile    coun- 
try, known  at  the 
time  of  the  Estab- 
lishment as  Tal- 
bot, but  later  on 
as     Talbot     ami 
Queen    Anne. 
The  three  flour- 
ishing     parishes 
of  St.    Paul's,    St.   Michael's,    and   St.   Peters  lay  here. 
The    oldest   church    buildings,    now    standing,    are    two 
Chapels  of  Ease  of  St.  Paul's,  —  St.  Luke'-s  Wye,  and 
St.  Luke's,  Church  Hill.     St.  Paul's  Parish  has  an  inter- 
esting record,  extending  back  to  1694,  and  the  names 
of  its  rectors  represent  an  unbroken  chain  of  -worthies, 
from  the  Rev.   John   Lillingston,   in   1G94,   to  th(,'   Kev. 
Hu'>h  Xeill,  in  1775.     It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  these 


"  -%;--  "ves? 


22  tl)t  ©ID  Wtick  CIjurrlKS  of  Si^aiTlanD. 

colonial  rectors  retained  the  same  charge  up  to  the  time 
of  their  deatli,  and  with  one  exception  lie  beneath  the 
rnins  of  ancient  St.  Paul's,  better  known  as  "  Old  Ches- 
ter," whicli  stood  about  a  mile  from  the  town  of  Centre- 
ville,  wliere  the  present  St  Paul's  was  erected  in  1855. 
Two  royal  oaks  mark  tlie  site  of  the  original  building,  a 
wooden  structure  standing  in  1655,  and  of  its  successor, 
which  was  so  old  as  to  need  repairs  at  the  time  of  the 
Establishment.  A  prominent  vestryman  of  St.  Paul's  was 
Colonel  Richard  Tilghman  of  the  Hermitage,  wlio  ad- 
vanced the  sum  necessary  for  the  rebuilding  in  16117,  the 
vestry  engaging  to  reimburse  liim  ;  he  also  contributed 
liberally  to  the  building  of  the  Chapel  of  Ease  at  Wye,  in 
which  a  large  square  pew  near  the  chancel  was  re- 
served, by  order  of  the  vestry,  for  the  use  of  his  family. 
St.  Luke's,  Wye,  is  one  of  the  quaintest  of  Eastern  Shore 
churches.  Seen  in  tlie  slanting-  rays  of  the  evening  sun, 
throuo'h  a  frame-work  of  brandling  oaks,  its  weather- 
beaten  brick  aiid  shining  ivy  present  a  jirettier  jiicture 
tlian  an  engraving  can  reproduce.  Changes  have  been 
made  in  tlie  interior  to  meet  the  requirements  of  modern 
times.  Beneath  the  altar  lie  the  remains  of  one  of  the 
colonial  rectors,  whose  name  has  iDcen  lost.  A  stone, 
bearing  the  following  inscription,  stands  within  the  chan- 
cel-rail, awaiting  removal  to  tlie  spot  it  is  destined  to 
cover : — 


&t.  iluhc'S,  ca^c.  23 


BENEATH  THIS  STOXE  LIE 
THE  REMAINS  OF  THAT 
EMINENT  AND  FAITHFUL 
SERVANT  OF  GOD 

THE 
REV.    ELISHA    UIGGS 
RECTOR  OF  THIS  PARISH 
FROM   A.  D.    ITUT 
UNTIL  HIS  DEATH 

FEU   Cth    IXIH. 
THE    MEMORY    OF   THE 
JUST   IS   BLESSED. 


Tlie  cliuroli,  at  one  time,  fell  into  disn.se  on  account 
of  its  dilapidated  condition,  and  a  new  St.  Luke's  was 
built  at  Queenstown,  a  few  miles  distant.  Bi.sliop  Wliit- 
tingliani,  however,  finding  tlie  venerable  structure  given 
up  to  the  beasts  of  the  field,  literally  drove  these  living 
proofs  of  the  "  abomination  of  desolation  "  from  the 
spot,  and  afterwards  used  his  influence  to  lia\e  it  re- 
stored to  its  proper  uses.  In  1S,")4  the  whole  building, 
"  fitlv  framed,  compacted,  and  beautified,"  being  then 
as  strong  as  in  the  da}'s  of  old,  was  reconsecrated  by 
the  same  bishop.  ^Vye  became  a  separate  })ari.sh  in 
1859. 

Colonel  Tilghman  marrie'd  Anna  JFaria  TJoyd,  grand- 
daughter of  the  Commissioner  of  1652.  She  was  named 
for  her  grandmother,  Anna  Neale,  who  had  been  lady- 
in-waiting  to  Queen  Henrietta  ]\Iaria,  and  Iiad  received 
from  her  the  gift  of  a  ring,  which  is  still  in  the  posses- 
sion of  a  lineal  descendant.  This  ring  opens  with  a 
spring,  and  reveals  a   miniature    portrait  of  Charles   I. 


24  tl)e  (£^lD  51Bncb  Cljuirljrs  of  tlDaiTlanti. 

painted  on  copper.  Anna  Neale's  oldest  daughter, 
Henrietta  Maria,  though  a  Papist,  married  Richard  Ben- 
nett, son  of  tlie  Puritan  (Joinmissioner,  and  after  liis 
doatli,  Philemon  Lloyd,  a  Quaker,  son  i>f  Edward  Lloyd, 
the  other  Puritan  Commissioner.  Philemon  settled  at 
Wye,  and  Wye  House  has  ever  since  been  the  home 
of  the  Lloyds.  The  oldest  son  of  the  famil}-  for  eight 
generations  has  been  called  Edward,  and  there  are  three 
generations  of  that  name  now  living. 

The  records  of  Shrewsbury,  a  parish  two  hundred 
years  old,  but  with  no  ancient  church,  contain  a  letter 
written  in  1721  by  the  Commissary  of  tlie  Eastern  Shore, 
the  Rev.  Christopher  Wilkinson,  inviting-  the  rector. 
Rev.  James  Williamson,  to  assist  at  the  consecration  of 
Wye  Chapel  on  St.  Luke's  Day,  October  18th,  and  to 
lodge  at  his  house  "  ye  night  before." 

Talbot  and  Queen  Anne  have  ever  been  pre-eminent 
for  their  hospitality,  and  as  there  had  been  a  wedding 
in  the  Tilghman  family  the  preceding  week,  we  can 
imagine  that  the  consecration  of  Wye  Chapel  was  an 
excuse  for  pi'olonging  the  festivities.  There  is  a  say- 
ing in  Maryland,  "  Ride  a  mile  and  stay  a  week,"  — 
a  saying  which  may  well  have  originated  where  the 
Lloyds,  tlie  Tilghraans,  the  De  Courceys  and  others 
kept  open  house. 

Among  some  interesting  letters  written  l)y  the  Rev. 
Thomas  Bacon,  rector  of  St.  Peter's  Parish,  to  "  Henry 
Callister,  merchant,"  is  the  following,  dated  Dover,  Oct. 
26th,  1756 :  "  We  had  on  Saturday  last  at  Col.  Lloyds  the 


fl  Concert  at  Colonel   Llo^'D's.  25 

most  delifjlitfiil  concert  Anicric;i  can  afl'nnl,  my  limior 
the  first  Hdillc  Ix-iny-  acci'iiipaiiied  on  the  liariisiclionl 
])V  the  taiiidus  Palmer,  who  is  the  l)est  natured  man  ot  a 
Top  liand,  I  ever  met  with."  There  were  neither  theatres 
nor  concert-halls  in  ]\raryland  at  fliat  time,  bnt  wealthv 
planters  entertained  actors  and  musicians,  who  came  to 
them  with  letters  of  introduction,  and  an  impromptu 
play  or  concert  w^as  often  made  practicable^  hy  the 
concurrence  of  the  many  guests  possessing  talent  and 
tdili't   tor  tln'   (iccasion. 

Many  of  these  f>ld  families  still  preserve  gowns  of 
brocade  and  other  rich  material,  antique  jeuellery,  and 
(lid  portraits,  which  attest  the  truth  of  William  Eddis' 
statement,  made  shortly  before  the  Uevolntion,  tliat 
"  the  quick  importation  of  fashions  from  the  motiier 
conntrx'  is  really  astonishing,  nor  are  opportunities 
wanting  to  disjdav  superior  elegance."  lie  also  alludes 
to  the  varied  amusements  and  numerous  parties  ot 
the   time. 

Queen  Anne  and  Talljot  on  tlie  Eastern  Shore,  and 
Prince  George's  and  Aime  .\rundel  on  the  Western, 
were,  until  the  Revolution,  the  centres  of  refinement 
and  festivity.  The  rural  anni.sements  then  in  vogue 
wei'e  of  the  same  character  as  now  prevail  at  fashion- 
able country  clubs.  The  character  of  inq)ortations  at 
that  time  may  be  seen  in  an  invoice  made  by  Henry 
Callister,  merchant  of  Wve,  in  1751,  which  reads  as 
follows :  — 


26  tl)t  mn  ilBiich  Cljurcljcs  of  il^aiiUauD. 

Colored  ginghams 
Bibles  &  Common  Prayers 
Irish  stuffs  &c 
Gauze  handkerchiefs 
Candlesticks  &  snuffers 
Spice  mortars 
Black  jacks 
Snuff  boxes 
Chafing  dishes 
All  the  green  teas 
All  sorts  of  Crockery 
&c  &c. 

Tliere  is  on  record  also  an  inventory  of  books  owned 
by  H.  Callister,  as  follows  :  — 

A  Latin  &  English  Dictionary 

Statutes  of  Gt.  Britain  &  Ireland 

Hudibras 

Craddock's  version  of  the  Psalms 

Swift,  Goldsmith,  Pope,  Moliere,  Tom  Jones 

History  of  China 

Observations  on  Ilcrculaneum. 

Henry  Callister  seems  to  have  been  a  "  character." 
In  his  letter-book  is  preserved  a  notice  to  a  storekeeper 
to  sell  "  no  rum  to  James  Hoxley  and  Sojdiia  his  wife, 
as  they  were  rendered  sick,  saucy,  and  drunk,  by  which 
I  suffered  in  my  ci'ops  and  in  the  peace  of  my  family." 
A  letter  addressed  to  the  delinquents  follows. 


l>cnrv  dallistri-  auD  tl)C  Uru.  Jljomas  13acou. 


-( 


,Iamks  lloxi.i'.Y  and  Mapam  Sophia, 

1  liavo  no  power  to  bear  your  ill  usage  longer.     Come  settle 
with  me  and  leave  my  ijlantation  to  Providence. 

11.  C.\Ll.lSTi:i!. 

(live  an  account  of  everytliintr,  at  your  peril. 

II.  Callistku. 

Give  an  account  of  tlie  provisions  you  have  over. 

H.  Callistku. 
Turn  off  the  Plantation  everything  that  belongs  to  you. 

II.  Cali.istku. 

Though  a  terror  to  the  transgressor,  II.  Callister  was 
;i  warm  tVieiid  to  the  deserving,  anumg  wluuii  were 
many  Acadian  refugees,  wlio  settled  on  the  l^astirn 
Shore  about  this  time.  In  fact,  it  is  said  tliat  he 
wrecked  his  fortunes  in  rendering  them  assistance.  In 
one  of  his  letters  he  speaks  of  going  to  read  Plato  to 
a  dying  friend,  and  his  kindly  nature  is  often  manifested 
in  his  correspondence  with  the  Rev.  Thomas  Bacon, 
whose    account   of    a   concert   at    Edward    Llo)d's    we 

have  given. 

Thomas  Bacon,  though  a  good  musician,  is  l)etter 
kn.-wn  in  Maryland  liist..ry  as  a  compiler  .if  hiws. 
Ill  IT.'.T  he  began  t(.  collect  in  book  form  tlic  enact- 
ments of  every  General  Assendjly  of  Maryland,  retain- 
iu2:  the  titles  only  of  those  that  had  been  repealed. 
Tims  the  church,  as  well  as  the  civil  connnunity,  had 
the  whole  history  of  legislation  in  the  Province. 

In  one  of  Thomas  P,acon's  letters  he  says,  "  Musick 
is  departed  from  me,  nn<l  the  '  Laws  '  my  only  employ- 
ment, are  dry  stuff  wlii.h  stick  in  my  throat."     Accord- 


28  tl)e  ©Id  Brich  Ctjuicljcs  of  ipaiiHauD. 

iiig  to  the  Rev.  Ethan  Allen,  this  unpalatable  task 
hastened  his  deatli,  which  occuiTed  in  1758.  St.  Peter's 
Church,  near  Oxford,  where  he  officiated,  is  now  a  ruin. 
The  graveyard  at  Wye  contains  very  old  graves,  but 
the  most  interesting  gravestones  are  to  be  found  in  pri- 
vate grounds.  In  tlie  Bennett  burying-ground  on  Ben- 
nett's Point,  between  Wye  River  and  Eastern  Bay,  is  an 
old  stone  with  the  following  inscription  :  — 

HeKE    LYETIl    INTEKK'd    THE    UeMAINS    OF    DoKOTUY    CaRKOLL 

Daugiitei!  of  Henry  Blake  of 

Wye  Hiveh  in  the  Pjsovince  of 

Maryland  &  wife  of  C'iiahles  Cahuoli.  Esyu  of 

ClOUNTISII    in    the    KlN(i's    ColNTY    AND 

Kingdom  of  Ireland 

She  was  Meek  Prudent  &  ^'IRT^ous 

Wanted  no  good  <;I'ai.ity  that 

Composed  a  good  Christian  and 

TENDKl:    &    LOVING    IMoTHER    &    FrIEND 
THO'    YOUNG    IN    YEARS    A    MATRON 

IN  Beh.wior  and  Conduct 
She  left  issue  two  sons  and 
one  d.\ugiiter   who   inherits 

IIKR     UeAUTY    &     lo    HE    HOPED 

THEY    WILL    HER    ViRTUE 

She    DEPARTED    THIS    LIFE    THE 

8  DAY  OF  July   anno  Domini   1734 

AGED  THIUTY  ONE  YEARS  SEVEN  MONTHS  AND  TWELVE  DAYS. 

Dorothy's  son,  Charles  Carroll,  "  Barrister,"  figures 
conspiciiously  at  the  time  of  the  Revolution,  as  does  also 
liis  cousin,   Charles  Carroll   of  Carrollton.     His  beauti- 


»t.  Luhf'5,  CImrcl)  Ji)ill.    «t.  3ol}u's,  2:uckaljof.     2'.t 

fill  isistt-r,  Maiv  Clare,  mairitd  Nicholas  Maccubbiii,  of 
Annapolis,  and  was  the  ancestress  of  tlu-  Protestant 
Carrolls  of  Baltimore,  —  two  of  her  sons  liavinjjc  assnmed 
the  name  in  accordance  with  iheir  nncle,  the  barrister's 
will,    hv    which   thev   became   iiis  heirs. 

St.  l.,uke's,  at  Chnrch  Hill,  was  at  one  time  a  ("hapel 
of  Ease  to  St.  Paul's,  and  its  services  were  conducted  by 
the  rectors  of  Old  Chester  and  ( )ld  Wye.  It  became  a 
separate  parish  in  172S.  The  present  chnix'h  was  built 
in  IT.'ill,  and  now  stands  in  the  midst  of  old  graves, 
shadowed  h\  primeval  oaks.  The  Kight  Rev.  Thomas 
J.  Clagg-ett,  the  first  bishop  consecrated  in  America,  and 
the  first  of  the  chnrch  in  Maryland,  confirmed  a.  class  of 
thii'tv  there  in  IT!*."'..  ISciiig  out  of  repair  and  unfit  for 
worship,  St.  Luke's  was  soon  abandoned;  but  in  ls4"J  it 
was  partiallv  restored,  and  opened  for  service.  In  1881 
it  was  completely  restored  by  the  late  George  Hawkins 
Williams,  of  lialtimore,  whose  ancestors  were  prominent 
church  mendiers  The  records  of  St.  Paul's  Parish, 
under  date  of  Jan.  oOth,  1721,  mention  the  gift  of  a  solid 
silver  chalice  and  flagon  from  Major  John  Hawkins, 
hio-h  sheriff  in  ITn.',.  Mr.  (i.  II.  Williams  also  pre- 
sented  to  St.  Luke's  a  massive  silver  connuunion  ser- 
vice, brought  from  England  shortly  l)efore  his  death. 

A  third  Chapel  of  Ease  belonging  to  St.  Paul's  Avas 
called  St.  John's,  but  it  has  ceased  to  be.  It  was  situ- 
ated at  Tuckahoe,  and  gave  its  name  to  the  parish  in 
Caroline  County,  where  now  stand  St.  Paul's  and  Holy 
Trinity. 


30  tl)c  »JPlD  iDiitU  Cljurcljfe;  of  iiparvUnnD. 

In  1()92,  when  the  order  was  given  for  tlie  laying  out 
of  parishes,  all  tliat  part  of  the  Eastern  Shore  lying 
south  of  the  Choptank  Kiver  was  divided  into  Dor- 
chester and  Somerset,  whicli  Avere  afterwards  subdivided 
into  Worcester  and  Wicomico  Counties.  In  each  of 
these  four  counties  is  an  old  brick  church,  and  in 
Wicomico  there  are  two.  IVinity  Church,  in  Dorches- 
ter County,  has  pretensions  to  great  antiquity,  and  the 
venerable  pile,  built  of  brick  brought  from  England,  is 
indeed  a  striking  memorial  of  the  past.  Queen  Anne 
was  ver}'  kind  to  this  church.  A  Bible  and  other  books 
of  public  worship  given  by  her,  are  still  preserved,  and 
a  cushion,  said  to  have  been  used  at  her  coronation  and 
presented  by  Bishop  Spratt,  is  one  of  the  relics  brought 
out  on  grand  occasions,  such  as  the  consecration  of  the 
church,  in  1853,  when  Bishop  Whiteliouse  officiated.  A 
communion  service,  also  presented  by  Queen  Aime,  has 
disappeared,  with  the  exception  of  one  piece.  Not- 
withstanding this  ro^yal  favor,  the  parish  was  a  poor 
living  for  the  rector  sent  over  by  the  Bishop  of  Lon- 
don. The  "  Taxables  "  in  171S  were  only  four  hundred 
persons,  and  the  salary  was  only  equal  to  about  thirty- 
five  ])()unds  a  year.  The  parisli  was  fifty  miles  long, 
and  its  rector,  the  Jloy.  Thomas  TJiompson,  petitioned 
the  Lord  Bishop  of  London  to  relieve  him  of  such 
"  arduous  duties  and  small  pay." 

St.  Andrew's  Church,  the  oldest  now  standing  in 
Somerset  County,  —  for  the  parish  church  was  de- 
stroyed   by   fire,  —  is    to    be  found  in   Princess  Anne, 


&t.  ."InDifUj's  anO  tljr  tLMrrn   Dill  Cljurclj. 


;i 


the  county  town.  It  was  Imilt  in  1771  as  a  Chapel 
of  Ease,  and  its  antique  coniniunion  silver  is  the  only 
relic  of  one  of  the  most  jirosperous  parishes  of  the 
I'l'ovince. 

Beautifully  situated  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Wico- 
nii((»  Kiver  is  St.  liARTnoi.OMEw's,  better  known  as 
the  Green  IIii.l  Cm  laii.  It  belongs  to  Sle])ney  Parish, 
and,  MS  sliowii  liy  the  glazed  figures  on  its  east  end,  was 


Somerset  I'akism  Comminiox  Sii.\i  i. 

Ijuilt  in  1733,  after  a  style  of  architecture  we  niav  call 
barn-like.  It  stands  near  the  site  of  the  original  wooden 
building,  as  proven  by  a  draught  of  "  Green  Hill  Towne 
&  Pourt,"  made  l)y  the  county  surveyor  in  17l)7. 

Probably  one  of  the  most  remarkable  rectorshii)s  ever 
known  in  this  country  was  that  of  the  Rev.  Alexander 
Adams,  who  came  from  England  as  a  missionary  to 
Stepney  in  1704.     He  remained  in  charge  of  the  parish 


32 


tl^e  ©Id  llBctch  Cljurcljcs  of  a^acvilanD. 


till  1769,  when  he  died  at  the  age  of  ninety  years.  He 
had  to  contend  with  poverty  and  many  other  trials,  but 
in  1752  he  presented  to  the  chui'ch  a  inassive  silver  ser- 
vice, consisting  of  a  Hagon  twenty  inches  high  and  ten 


^ 


^. 


f 


'     $.^\ 


Old  Green  Hill  Ciiircii  before  it  was  restoreh 

inches  in  diameter,  two  chalices  and  two  patens,  which 
are  still  in  use.  The  old  register,  dated  1732,  is  also 
preserved. 


ail  Dalloius',  »uoUj  l^ill,  anD  j;5orty  ClU  panel).     33 

Alxmt  liiilit  iiiiles  from  Salisbury  stiuids  tin-  Spring- 
Hill  ('linrcli,  imilt  in  17(!1  as  a  Chapel  of  Ease  to  Step- 
ney I'arisli.     It  became  a  parish  church  in  18"_'7. 

A  more  flourishing'  parish  is  that  of  All  Hallows', 
Snow  Hill,  though  it  began  its  existence  as  a  log 
house  of  worship.  The  present  All  Hallows',  com- 
pleted in  175f!,  was  built  of  materials  brouyht  from 
England,  and  paid  for  with  tobacco,  a  levy  being  made 
for  the  purpose.  It  is  in  an  excellent  state  of  preser- 
vation, and  the  chancel,  with  handsoiue  woodwork 
and  memorials  in  marble  and  brass,  presents  an  at- 
tractive appearance.  An  artistic  stained-glass  window, 
painted  by  Georlinger,  of  IN'ew  York,  has  recently  been 
fitted  into  the  semi-cinuhir  chancel  as  a  memorial  to 
the  Kight  Rev.  H.  C  Lay,  late  P)ishop  of  the  Diocese  of 
Easton. 

Another  old  cliurcli,  worthy  of  mention,  is  St.  I\[ary's 
North  Elk  Parish,  Cecil  County.  This  parish  was 
laid  off  in  1700,  and  the  elnnch  was  built  in  1743, 
and  consecrated  one  humhed  and  one  years  later  by 
Bishop  Whittingham.  Cecil  County  was  laid  olV  in  1(174, 
for  Auo-ustine  Herrman,  of  Bohemia  JIanor,  a  verv  re- 
markable  man.  who  figured  first  in  the  history  of  New 
Amsterdam,  and  afterwards  in  that  of  Maryland.  A 
copy  of  a  map,  drawn  by  him  for  the  Lord  Proprietary, 
is  to  be  seen  at  the  rooms  of  the  ]\Iaryland  Historical 
Societv.  It  liears  in  one  comer  the  following  quaint 
inscription  :  — 


34  tl)C  »©ID  15rich  Cljurtljcs  of  iigarplanD. 


Virginia  &  Marylaiul,  as  it  is  Planted  &  Inhabited  this  pres- 
ent year  1670.  Surveyed  &  Exactly  Drawnc  by  the  only  Labour 
<fe  Endeavor  of 

AUGUSTIN    HeRRMAN, 

Bohemien.iis. 

As  far  as  can  be  ascertained,  St.  Mary's  Nortli  Elk 
Parish  completes  the  list  of  old  brick  churches  on 
the  Eastern  Shore,  built  in  colonial  days.  The  original 
parishes  are  as  follows  :  — 


,    r  Kent  County, 
nd,  »  ■' 

I 


St.  Paul's 

Kent  Islan 

N.  Sassafras, 

S.  Sassafras,  or  j-  Cecil  County. 

Shrewsbury,       ) 

St.  Peter's,      ) 


Great  Choptank,  >  Dorchester 


St.  Paul's, 

St.  Michael's,  J- Talbot  County. 


Dorchester, 

Somerset, 
Coventry, 
Stepney, 
Snow  Hill, 


>       County. 
Somerset  County. 


©Ijaptcr  TU. 


THE    "ARK"  AND  THE   ■' DOVK.-  —  '  OLD  .ST.  .MAUVS."  —  THE 

COLRT-HOUSE   CHURCH.  — AX   AXCIEXT   MAN'OU.  — THE 

FIRST  WEUDIX(;.  — ANXTEXT  DOCUMENTS.  — REV. 

DR.   BRAY.  — THE   FIRST  PRINTING   PRESS. 

JOHN     COODK.  —  ROSE     CROFT.  —  A 

MIDNKHIT    ESCAPADE.  —  AN 

HISTORIC   MULBERRY. 


$ 


III. 


[IHE  "Mayflower"  brought  to  the  li;in<Mi 
sliores  of  New  England  an  o])jiresse(l  and 
exiled  })eople,  Avliose  struggle  tor  life  and 
liberty  is  to  us  a  matter  of  national  pride  ; 
the  "Ark"  and  the  "Dove"  bore  to  the 
fertile  soil  of  Maryland  a  people  for  whom  legislative 
freedom  and  religious  liberty  had  been  already  secured, 
—  a  people  wliose  tirst  dealings  with  tlie  natives  insured 
their  homes  against  the  depredations  so  often  t'onnnitted 
in  other  colonies,  and  thus  left  midisturbed  the  founda- 
tions of  that  home  life  and  that  spirit  of  conservatism 
which  characterize  the  Marylander  to  this  day. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  Plymouth  Ivock,  which 
has  attained  such  gigantic  proportions  through  the  re- 
fracting medium  of  a  people's  enthusiasm,  is  the  only 
stone  in  the  building  of  this  gi-eat  nation,  or  the  only 
monument  to  its  founders. 

History  tells  how  the  Maryland  Pilgrims,  mider  the 
leadership  of  Leonard  Calvert,  the  Lord  Projn-ietary's 
brother,  landed  March  25th,  1034,  at  the  island  of 
St.  Clement's  in  the  Potomac,  and  took  possession  of 
the  country  "in  the  name  of  the  Saviour  and  our  Lord 
the  King." 


38  tl)C  Ma  IBiicli  Cl)urcl)fs  of  aDarv'lanD. 

Around  a  rude  cross  of  wood,  knelt  Roman  and 
"  Protestant "  Catholic,  in  recognition  of  equal  civil  and 
religious  liberty. 

Two  days  later  Leonard  Calvert  concluded  his  treaty 
witli  tlie  Piscataway  Indians,  purcliasing  from  them 
tliirtN'  miles  of  territory  on  the  mainland,  including 
the  village  of  Yaocomico,  which  was  hencefortli  called 
St.  Mary's. 

This  historic  ground  lies  on  the  western  shore  of  the 
Chesapeake  Bay,  between  the  Potomac  and  Patuxent 
Rivers,  but  the  ancient  town  of  St.  Mary's  is  no  more. 
The  bluff  overlooking  St.  Mary's  River,  where  the  court- 
Jiouse  formerly  stood,  is  now  crowned  by  a  thicket, 
above  whicli  rises  the  spire  of  Trinity  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church,  while  the  Leonard  Calvert  monu- 
ment, a  granite  obelisk  erected  in  1891,  .stands  like  a 
lonelv  sentinel  keeping  guard  over  the  memories  of  the 
past.  About  a  stone's  throw  from  the  church  is  a  female 
8eminar3\  whose  inmates,  with  those  of  a  private  house 
on  another  bluff,  represent  the  population  of  this  defunct 
town. 

A  drive  of  about  seven  miles  in  a  southeasterly  direc- 
tion, over  a  rolling  country,  which  in  sunnner  is  a 
wilderness  of  bloom,  brings  us  to  St.  Liigoes  Manor. 
This  is  part  of  a  tract  taken  up  by  Thomas  Copley, 
known  also  as  Father  Copley,  in  accordance  with  the 
"  Conditions  of  Plantation  "  —  he  having  transported 
fifty-two  emigrants  from  across  the  water.  The  name 
St.    Inigo   is    evidently    a   jierversiou    of    St.    Ignatius, 


2:i)r  Court  Dousr  Cljiucl). 


39 


and  this  in;ui<ir  \\;is  at  (inc  tinic  tlic  stn>ni;li(iM  nt'  tlio 
Jesuits.  'I'll!'  I'ricst's  House,  at  I'riest's  Point,  on  St. 
Inii^-oes  Creek,  is  still  in  possession  of  the  luunan 
C'atholies. 

As  earl\'  as  Ki.'JS  tlie  Protestant  ('atliolies  worshipped 
in  a  lo<;-  luit  at  St.  ]\Iary's,  and  in  l(ill4.  after  Maryhmd 
had      become     a      Koyal  l'ro\  incc,  and  the  seat 

of  f'-ovennncnt  liad  liccii  jT       reino\cd  1o  .Vnnajiolis. 

the    unused   court-house,         f{        a      sulistantial      hriek 
l)uihlinii'   ill    the    t'orni   of 
a   sliort-arined  cross,  was 
Sfiven     to     the      Kn"lisli 


Thinitv   Cm  ikii,  Si.  .Makv's. 


40  t\)e  ©Id  515ricfe  CUurcljcs  of  iipaii'lanJ). 

Cliurcli.  Ill  1720  the  gift  was  confirmed  by  the  Legisla- 
ture to  the  vestrymen  of  WllHain  and  Mary  Parisli.  All 
partitions  were  removed  from  the  original  structure,  and 
a  railing  was  placed  across  the  east  transept  to  form  the 
chancel.  The  altar  was  of  heavy  car\ed  oak,  and  above 
it  was  a  fresco  representing  the  "  Flight  into  Egypt." 
The  pulpit  stood  at  the  intersection  of  the  cross,  half- 
way down  the  church.  In  the  iKirth  iind  sduth  tran- 
septs were  galleries  for  the  negroes,  reached  bv  outside 
ladders. 

Unfortunately  for  the  antiquary,  this  church  was  torn 
down  in  lS2It,  to  satisfy  a  few  |)ersoiis,  who  inherited 
from  Puritan  ancestors  that  sjiirit  of  iconoclasin  which 
always  found  vent  upon  anything  in  the  shape  of  a, 
cross.  The  resolution  to  demolisli  this  venerabl(>  pile 
was  carried  at  a  meeting  of  the  vestry,  which  an 
influential  member,  named  Dr.  Caleb  Jones,  was  uiialde 
to  attend.  So  (Hitraned  was  he  at  the  proceeding  that 
he  never  afterward  took  any  part  in  church  affairs. 

The  home  of  Dr  Jones  was  an  old  manor  house  on 
St  Inigoes  Creek,  where  his  descendants  now  live  in 
grateful  remembrance  of  his  virtues,  and  in  iortunate 
possession  of  many  interesting  documents. 

On  a  bluff  betAveen  the  house  and  the  water,  and  in 
sight  of  Priest's  Point,  is  the  garden,  whose  antirpiity 
is  attested  by  its  gigantic  box-trees  with  tortuous  limbs. 
Here  it  was  laid  out  two  hundred  and  si.xty  }ears  ago, 
when  Cross  Manor  belonged  to  Sir  Thomas  Cornwaleys, 
"  tlie  wisest  and  best  of  the  g-entlemen  adventurers  who 


iTIir  f-n-5t  CClfDDmg. 


41 


c:\mo  ovor  in  1634."'  He  was  a  nienilx-r  of  tlio  council, 
iiiul  wiis  cniiunissioned  by  Lord  Baltimore  tt>  put  dcwu 
Claiborne's  rebellion  in  1(J35,  engaging  iu  the  firist  mnal 
battle  ever  fought  on  our  shores.  Cornwalevs  brou^dit 
over  more  than  fifty  followers.  Ten  years  later,  his 
servants,  who  were  Protestants,  joined  in  Ingle's  in- 
surrection, burning  his  house  and  fences,  slaughterino- 


As  Old  JFanor  IIol-se. 

his  cattle,  and  injuring  his  property  to  the  extent  of 
three  thousand  jwunds,  for  which  he  afterwards  sued 
InL;le. 

T]w  first  Protestant  mai-riage  recorded  at  St.  3rar>'s 
was    I)ctween    two    of    his    servants,    John    Ilollis   and 


42  tl)t  *©ID  TBtic^i  CUtucUrs  of  s^ai'vlauD. 

Restitutia  Tiie,  the  ceremony  being  performed  by  the 
Rev.  Thomas  White  from  Virginia,  "  a  man  of  good 
sufficiencies  of  learning,"  upon  whose  occasional  min- 
istrations the  Protestant  settlers  of  St.  ]\Iary's  had  to 
depend. 

The  old  brick  manor  house  represents  three  periods 
of  architecture  from  1650  to  1850.  Several  stories  are 
told  to  account  for  the  name  of  this  manor.  One  of 
them  is  that,  early  in  the  days  of  the  Virginia  Company, 
a  party  was  sent  to  explore  the  rivers  and  creeks  north 
of  the  Potomac,  and  as  they  did  not  return,  a  second 
party  went  to  search  for  them,  and  found  their  dead 
bodies  on  the  sandy  beach,  wliere  tliey  had  been  mur- 
dered by  the  Indians.  A  cross  was  here  erected  to  mark 
their  place  of  burial,  and  Cornwaleys,  finding  this  cross, 
named  his  manor  after  it.  Another  story,  equally  tragic, 
is  that  Cornwaleys,  while  one  day  hunting  with  his 
dearest  friend  accidentally  shot  him.  A  cross  was  raised 
to  his  memory,  and  Cornwaleys  ever  afterwards  lived  a 
recluse. 

Among  the  precious  relics  jireserved  at  Cross  Manor 
is  the  fifth  volume  of  "  A  New  Hi.story  of  Ecclesiastical 
Writers,"  translated  from  the  French  of  Louis  Ellies  du 
Pin,  "  Dr.  of  the  Sorbon."  It  was  printed  in  London 
in  1693.  The  gold  lettering  on  the  substantial  leatlier 
cover  informs  us  that  this  book  belonged  to  the  library 
of  "  St.  Marie's,"  which  was  scattered  when  tlie  old 
court-house  church  was  demolished. 

The    Rev.    Thomas    Bray    was    chosen    in    169G,    by 


Hji-  /-list   pmumg  pirss.  43 

I^r.  ( 'oinptoii,  r)isli()])  (it  Lniiilnii,  as  the  iniu  best  littod 
to  train  till-  inlaiit  cliiii-cli  in  .Maiylaiid.  Sueing  tlie 
iiuuortaiice  of  parish  libraries,  he  estabh.shed  soveiiteeii 
upon  liis  arrival,  contributing  liljerally  himself,  and 
obtaining'  assistance  at  home  and  abroad  fur  their  sup- 
])ort.  Four  hundred  pounds  of  the  fund  was  given 
by  Princess  Anne  of  Denmark. 

During  the  session  of  the  Assembly  of  1700,  a  bill, 
which  seems  to  have  been  the  joint  jiroduction  of  the 
zealous  Doctor  and  the  Attorney-General,  was  passed 
unanimously  by  the  Assembly,  providing  "  that  the  Book 
of  Connnon  Prayer  and  administration  of  the  Sacra- 
ments, with  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  the  Church, 
the  Psalter  and  the  Psalms  of  Dav-id,  with  Morning  and 
Evening  Praver,  therein  contained,  be  solemnly  read 
by  all  and  every  minister  or  reader  in  every  church  or 
other  place  of  public  worship  within  this  Province." 

Leaving  quite  a  number  of  really  good  missionaries  to 
cany  on  the  work  that  he  had  begun,  Dr.  Bray  returned 
to  England  to  procure  the  King's  sanction  to  this  law, 
which  a  powerful  Quaker  influence  was  enlisted  to 
defeat.  His  mission  was  successful  there,  as  it  had 
been  during  his  brief  stay  in  ^Maryland.  It  has  been 
stated  that  Dr.  Bray  brought  over  the  first  printer;  but 
thirty  years  earlier  the  Parliamentary  Commissioners 
had  a  jirinting-press,  on  which  was  printed  the  "  St. 
Marie's  Gazette  for  the  Diffusion  of  Godly  Doctrines." 
A  public  printer  was  also  employed  in  lfi89,  by  John 
Coode,     "  an    atheist    and    a    profligate,"    to    is.sue    a 


44  ti)t  MH  115ricfe  Cljurcljcs  of  ipaii'lauD. 

"  Declaration  of  Reasons  for  organizing  an  Association 
in  Arms  for  the  Defense  of  the  Protestant  ReHgion 
and  for  asserting  the  Right  of  King  WilHam  and  Queen 
Mary  to  the  Province  of  Maryhxnd  and  to  the  EngUsh 
Dominions." 

The  Prayer  Book  of  WiUiam  and  Mary  differed 
slightly  from  that  which  succeeded  it  during  the  reign 
of  the  Georges.  One  of  these,  printed  in  1768,  is 
preserved  at  Cross  Manor,  and  also  a  copy  of  the  first 
American  Prayer  Book,  printed  in  1789.  In  this  col- 
lection may  be  found  a  "  Discourse  on  Confirmation," 
by  Jeremy  Taylor,  printed  in  1663,  and  also  a  work  on 
the  "  Great  Necessity  and  Advantage  of  Publick  Prayer 
and  Frequent  Communion,"  by  W.  Beveridge,  D.  D., 
Lord  Bishop  of  London. 

A  clew  to  the  ancestry  of  Dr.  Caleb  Jones,  of  Cross 
Manor,  is  found  here  in  an  old  book,  printed  in  1700, 
whicli  bears  the  following  title :  "  The  Mysteries  of 
Opium,  revealed  by  Dr.  John  Jones,  Chancellor  of 
Llanlaff,  a  Member  of  the  College  of  Physicians  of  Lon- 
don and  formerly  Fellow  of  Jesus  College  in  Oxford." 
On  the  fly  leaf  is  inscribed  the  name  of  Matthias  Jones, 
"  Olim  et  de  jure  Glendower." 

Matthias  was  a  turbulent  descendant  of  the  "  irregular 
and  wild  Glendower "  who  kept  Wales  in  a  ferment 
while  Henry  IV.  was  absorbed  in  his  scheme  of  chasing 
the  pagans  in  the  "  holy  fields."  He  joined  in  the 
disastrous  rebellion  of  Monmouth,  and  was  forced  to 
fly  the  country.     Taking  refuge  in  Maryland,  he  bought 


Dr.  Calrb  3  ones.  45 

a  part  of  Cross  Manor,  which  is  still  in  possession  of 
his  descendants.  At  the  time  of  the  Revohitiun,  the 
Tory  branch  of  the  Jones  family  emig-rated  to  Nova 
Scotia,  while  Caleb's  father,  a  younper  son,  adhered  to 
the  patriot  canse.  The  following  extract  is  from  a  cojiy 
of  the  oath  taken  by  Caleb  when,  in  1835,  he  joined  the 
Twelfth  Regiment  of  the  State  Militia  as  surgeon  :  — 

I.  ('al('l)  Monis  Jones,  do  swear  that  I  do  not  hold  myself 
bound  in  allej;iance  to  the  King  of  (Jreat  Britain,  and  that  I  will 
be  faithful,  and  bear  true  allegiance  to  the  .State  of  Maryland,  so 
help  me  God. 

I,  Caleb  Jforris  Jones,  do  solemnly  swear  that  1  will  su]i]iort 
the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  so  lielp  me  Gotl. 

I,  Caleb  Jones,  do  most  sincerely  declare  that  I  believe  in  the 
Christian  religion. 

Another  light  is  here  thrown  upon  the  past  by  a 
volume  called  "  Lex  Mercatoria ;  or,  ]\Ierchant's  Direc- 
tory and  Complete  Guide  to  all  Men  of  Business, 
wJK'ther  as 

Traders,  Insurers, 

Remitters,  Bankers, 

Owners.  Factors, 

Freighters,  Supercargoes, 

Captains,  Agents." 

This  book  fell  into  the  hands  of  Dr.  Caleb  Jones  as 
executor  of  one  Daniel  Wolstenholrae,  a  gentleman  who 
was  at  one  time  Collector  of  the  Port  of  St.  Mary's,  and 
one  of  the  committee  appointed  in  1765  to  formulate  in- 
sti'uctions  for  the  members  of  the  Stamp  Act  Congress, 


46  t[)C  (©Id  llBricb  Cljurcljcs  of  iBarvHauD. 

His  home,  a  romantic  spot  known  as  Rose  Croft,  fur- 
nished a  charming  background  for  some  of  the  scenes 
depicted  by  John  P.  Kennedy  in  his  novel,  "  Rob  of 
the  Bo^yl." 

Rose  Croft  descended  to  Daniel  Wolstenholme  Camp- 
bell, whose  parents,  George  and  Aim,  rest  in  the  Rose 
Croft  burying-ground,  not  far  from  the  house,  which 
has  been  altered,  from  the  Dormer-windowed  abode  of 
the  novelist,  to  an  ordinary  liouse  with  front  and  back 
porch.  Its  antiquity  is  indicated  by  the  end  walls 
of  brick  laid  in  a  bond  peculiar  to  the  time,  and  the 
sides  of  frame,  —  a  fasliion  prevailing  when  brick  was 
brought  from  England,  and  used  sparingly. 

The  ground-floor  of  Rose  Croft  remains  unaltered. 
It  was  in  its  spacious  lialls  that  Daniel  Wolstenholme 
Campbell,  in  the  early  part  of  this  century,  indulged  in 
the  general  conviviality  of  his  day.  A  story  is  told  of  a 
reckless  party  assembled  here,  who,  to  settle  a  bet,  gal- 
loped off  in  the  dead  of  night  to  the  churchyard  of  St. 
Mary's,  and  with  pickaxe  and  shovel,  liy  the  light  of  a 
torch,  opened  the  Avay  into  the  vault  of  a  colonial  gov- 
ernor. This  dignitary  and  his  wife  were  foun<l  to  all 
appearance  in  a  state  of  perfect  preservation.  For  a 
moment,  the  thoughtless  youths  stood  gazing  upon  the 
serene  faces  of  the  dead  ;  then  one,  more  hardy  than 
the  others,  laid  his  hand  upon  the  lifelike  clay,  and  in- 
stantly it  crumbled  into  dust.  Panic-stricken,  the  revel- 
lers rushed  out  pell-mell,  and  sliovelled  back  the  earth 
disturbed  by  their  sacrilegious  hands. 


(trinttv  Cljiirrlj.  47 

Trinity  Churoli  was  rebuilt  in  18;')"),  partly  from  tli(! 
brick  of  the  old  Court  House  Church,  whose  cruciform 
outline  is  indicated  by  several  oranite  jjillars  rising 
above  the  "raves,  and  it  now  belonji^s  to  St.  I\IarA's 
Parish. 

Until  latel}',  tradition  here  nuirked  a  mulberry  tree,  as 
having  witnessed  the  equitable  dealings  of  the  Calverts 
with  the  Indians;  but  it  has  at  last  fallen,  and  the  wood 
has  been  cleverly  worked  into  the  church  furniture. 
The  Bisho})  of  ^larylaiid  has  a  gavel  made  from  this 
venerable  tree. 


Cl)aptcr  IV. 


ST.  MARY'S,  CoxTi.MEi).  —  COXTKIUUTIOXS  TOWARDS  A 
CLERGYMAN'S  SUPPORT.  —  ST.  GEORGE'S,  POPLAR  HILL. — 
CHRIST  CHURCH,  CHAPTICO.  —  ST.  AXDUEW'S.  —  IHE 
REV.  MOSES  TABBS'  WILL. —  THE  FIRST  CIIUIKII  OF  ST. 
CLEMENT'S  BAY  IIUNDP.EI).  —  WILLIAM  BRETTOX,  ESQ.- 
ALL  FAITH  PARISH.  -  THE  COOL  SPRIXGS. —  CALVERT 
COUNTY. —CHRIST  CHURCH.  —  MIDDLEHAM  CHAPKL. — 
ALL  SAINTS. -ST.   PAUL'S,   PRINCE   GEORGE'S  COUNTY. 


$ 


IV. 


X    ](;')S-:):i,    when   St.   Man's   was  erected 
into   a  county,  tliere  wore  already   tliice 
Protestant  (•liiirclies  in  tliat  part  of  Mary- 
land,   and    iri-eiiular    services    liad    been 
held  before  the  arrival  <^f  the   Hex.  Wil- 
liam  Wilkinson,  the   first  pastor,   who   in   ](;.-)(i  t,„,k   up 
about  nine  hundred  acres  of  laiul,  t\n-  which  he  paid  to 
the  Lord  Proprietary  a  "quit  rent"  of  eighteen  shillings. 
This  clergyman  had  no  regnlar  salary,  lint  lie  soon  won 
the  atfection  of  his  parishioners,  who  all  contributed  their 
mite  to  his  support,  — one,  William  Marshall,  "endowing 
him  with  the  milk  of  three  heifers."     Another  record  of 
a  volnntary  contribution  to  a  rector's  su]i])ort  is  found 
in  the  will  of  Robert  Cadger,  who  in   UllC  left  in  trust 
"to  the  :\Iaior  (Mayor),  Recorder,  Aldermen,  and  com- 
mon   comisell"  of  St.  Mary's,  and  to  their  successors, 
valuable  property  to  be  disposed  of  "for  the  mainte- 
nance of  a  Protestant  mim'ster  from  time  to  time,  to  be 
among  the  iidiabitants  of  St.  George's  and   Poplar  Hill 
Hundred  ;  such  a  one  as  they  shall  allow  and  ajjprove 
of  for  minister  and  teacher."      The  executors  were  to 
"  give  account  to  the  Aldermen,  Counsel!,  &c."     One  of 
these  executors  was  Mr.  Francis  Sointon,  of  Devonshire, 


52  t^c  ©ID  llBricb  Cljurcljce  of  i3j9arv'lanD. 

England.  A  tombstone  bearing  the  same  name  has 
been  recently  unearthed  in  St.  George's  Poplar  Hill 
graveyard.  The  Latin  inscription  upon  it,  though 
marred  by  a  break  in  the  stone,  has  been  deciphered 
by  the  present  rector,  the  Rev.  Maurice  Vaughan, 
and    reads   as  follows  :  — 

FnANCisco  SouRTON,  Anglo-Devon  Fraxcisci  Filu's 
Vkkitatis    Evancklice    Atque   Ecclesiastes,    IIeic 
Sedulus  Vita  Brevi  &  Saepius  Aflicta 
Functus  est  Sep.  10  79. 

The  legend,  also  in  Latin,  and  much  defaced  by  time, 
has  been  variously  translated,  and  one  version  runs  as 
follows  .  — 

And  thou  reader,  liviiiL;'  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  keep  the 
faith,  and  thou  also,  though  dead,  shalt  live. 

Beneath  these  words  is  cut  a  curiously  quartered 
shield,  which  is  still  an  enigma.  From  its  unique  de- 
sign and  its  antiquity,  this  gravestone  is  one  of  the 
most  interesting  yet  discovered  in  Maryland. 

A  horizontal  slab  in  the  same  graveyard  thus  per- 
petuates the  memory  of  another  early  rector :  — 

Near  this  place 

lies  interred  the 

Reverend  Leigh  Massey 

He  was  educated  at  Oxford, 

Rector  of  this  Parish, 

The  darling  of  his  flock 

And  beloved  by  all  who  knew  him, 

He  died  Jan.   lOti,  1732  m  29. 


Clinst  Clmrcl),  Cljnptico.  53 

111  tliis  old  gTavevanl  stands  an  iininense  tree  known 
as  "  St.  George's  Oak,"  and  an  unlinikfii  iliain  of  tradi- 
tion proves  that  it  was  a  landmark  one  hnndred  and 
seventy  years  ago,  wluii  it  had  already  attained  gigantic 
proportions.  It  overshadows  tlie  ])resent  painteil  hrirk 
chiircli,  wliic'h  in  1  T.'^O  was  phiced  about  fifteen  feet 
south  of  its  predecessor.  'I'lioiigli  tliis  clinrcli  ofl'crs 
little  of  interest  to  the  arti.st,  the  arcliitect,  or  the  an- 
tiquary, a  lialo  has  l)een  tlirown  aronnd  it  by  that 
love  of  the  Church  and  its  traditions,  which,  in  the 
rural  districts  of  Maryland,  lias  survived  periods  of  ex- 
treme adversity.  A  larger  and  finer  church  than  that 
at  Poplar  Hill  is  Christ  ( 'liunh,  Cliaptico,  St.  Mary's 
Couiitv,  wliich,  according  to  a  report  to  the  Council 
date(l  .Inlv  -JOth.  1(194.  was  "going  forward  to  be  built." 
This  is  the  parish  church  of  King  and  Queen  Parish, 
and  here,  as  in  the  adjoining  ])ansh  of  St.  Andrew'.s, 
old  customs  prc\ail.  and  ample  room  is  reserved  for 
the  negroes,  wlio  attend  in  large  numbers.  The 
Bishop  of  ^larvlaiid.  in  a  late  visit  to  All  Saints'  Chapel 
in  tliis  jiarish  remarked  that  there  were  four  times  as 
manv  colored  people  as  white  among  the  commuiiicaiits. 

About  forty  years  ago,  during  the  rectorshij)  of  tlie 
Rev.  ^Ir.  Aisquith,  King  and  Queen  Parish  was  dis- 
turbed bv  the  dissensions  of  rival  vestries,  and  the  valu- 
able parish  records  disapjieared.  We  know  from  otlier 
sources,  that  its  "  Taxables  "  in  1G9G  were  four  hundred 
and  seventy-three  adults,  that  its  first  rector  was  the 
Rev.  Christopher  Platts,  and  that  the  Rev.  J.  H.  Chew, 


54  tl)(  MH  ^rick  Cljurcljre  of  SlDari'lanD. 

a  relative  of  Bishop  Claggett,  officiated  at  Cliaptico  in 
1845. 

The  design  of  tliis  church,  simple  but  in  perfect  har- 
mony, is  attributed  to  no  less  a  personage  than  Sir 
Christopher  Wren,  the  architect  of  St.  Paul's  Cathedral, 
London.  The  base  is  bevelled  about  three  feet  above 
the  ground,  the  bricks  being  laid  in  alternate  rows  of 
long  and  short,  while  in  the  rest  of  the  building  each 
brick  is  laid  side  to  end  in  a  style  known  as  "  Flemish 
Bond."  There  is  a  round  arched  window,  with  small 
panes  of  glass,  in  the  organ  loft,  corresponding  to  the 
original  windows  of  the  church.  Among  the  memorial 
windows  which  have  replaced  some  of  these,  we  find 
one  donated  by  the  Maddox  family  in  1842,  in  memory 
of  a  line  of  ancestors  extending  back  to  1660. 

The  two  stained-glass  windows  in  the  apsidal  chancel 
were  inserted  about  fifteen  years  ago,  during  the  rector- 
ship of  the  Rev.  Pinkney  Hammond.  Tlie  marble  font 
near  the  chancel  is  one  of  the  many  gifts  to  the  church 
in  Maryland  ascribed  to  Queen  Anne.  The  building 
lias  a  high-pitched  roof  and  a  small  wooden  belfry.  The 
nave  is  separated  from  the  side  aisles  by  columns  with 
Corinthian  capitals.  The  main  ceiling  is  vaulted ;  the 
side  ceilings  are  flat.  The  brickwork  of  the  exterior  is 
painted  yellow  and  the  woodwork  white.  St.  Andrew's 
Parish  Church,  built  in  1756,  was  doubtless  copied  from 
this  church.  The  windows,  however,  are  not  arched, 
and  the  brick  is  not  painted  ;  the  floors  are  of  flagstone, 
and  the  pews,  though  cut  down,  are  not  modern,  like 


^lir  UrUrrrnO  il^osrs  itabbs.  55 

those  ot"  ('liri>t  ('liiinli.  hi  Imtli  (liiurlics  tliu  VLStr\ - 
nioiu   is  (111   oiR'  silk',   iit-nr  the  entrance. 

In  tlic  rear  nt'  ( 'Inist  ('linrdi  ts  :i  tonil)  of  tlic  Key 
liiiniK,  whose  progenitor  was  instrumental  in  Imilding 
till-  clnireli.  and  wliosc  homestead  stands  ncai-  the  conrt- 
lioiise  at  Leonardtown  ;  and  to  the  ri^'ht  is  l)Uiicd  an 
eccentric,  ^vllo  recpicsti'il  to  lie  "planted  in  an  n|)i-it|lit 
position.  " 

The  Uev.  Moses  Tabhs,  rector  of  St.  Georfre's.  I'oplar 
Hill,  is  also  buried  here,  and  the  bill  for  his  funeral 
expenses  is  as  follows  :  — 

ihe 
DeciiiIS  177G 

:\rr  Homl  Dr 

To  Mr  Mosses  Tabs^  burial 

To  the  Minister 0:0 

Clerk 4  :  G 

Ground 15  :  0 

Grave  Digging 6  :  G 

Invitation 10  :  0 

bell 3:0 

Watchman 8  :  " 

Pall 1  -  "  -  0 

3-13-0 

Recv"'  of  Mr  W"  Bond  the  above  in  full 

pr  Jacob  Dieoel, 

Sexlon  of  Christ  Church. 

The  Boston  fire  occuiTed  during  th(>  T\ev.  ^Foses 
Tal)bs'  rectorship,  and  in  a  letter  Avritten  by  him  to 
Governor  Sharpe  in  17G0  he  mentions  having  handed 
over  to  the  sheriff  the  sum  of  £17  lbs.  4r/.,  collected 
at  the  Pojdar  Hill  Ghurch  for  the  sufferers  by  that  fire. 


56 


tl)c  ©ID  lierirk  CljuiclKS  of  tiaarDlanD. 


The  will  of  the  Rev.  Moses  Tabbs,  brought  to  probate 
June  8th,  1779,  mentions  his  "good,  dear,  and  beloved 
wife,  Sarah  Tabbs,"  to  whom  he  leaves  tlie  use  of  a 
plantation,  called  "  Tabbs'  Purchase,"  for  the  mainte- 
nance of  herself  and  children,  Avitli  "  the  horses,  black 
cattle  and  stock  of  eveiy  kind,  corn,  tobacco,  household 


An  Old  Pahsosaoe. 

{'iirnlture  and  plate  as  it  now  stands ;  together  with  the 
use  of  the  following  negroes ;  Nan  and  old  Nell,  Clem- 
ent and  Phyllis  Toby  and  Hannah,  Duke  and  Jenny." 
These  possessions  constituted  a  man's  wealth  in  patri- 
archal days.  He  also  wills  that  his  "  Dear  &  beloved 
wife  bind  out  to  trade,  Theoijhilus,  Thomas  &  Daniel 


i^icDrrir,  tl)C   Last  of  tljr   LoiDs  piopnrtarv'.        57 

Tubbs  that  they  may  be  renclei-ed  caj)able,  by  God's 
blessing,  to  pi'oeure  an  honest  Uvehhood ;  "  and  fiulher 
he  desires  that  his  son  Ijuitmi  shall  "have  learning 
enough  either  for  a  Protestant  Minister,  Lawyer,  or 
Physician."  His  son  Georoe  was  to  inherit  the  home 
place,  the  family  honors,  and  the  plate,  ■when  it  shonld 
please  God  to  siunmon  his  "  good,  dear  and  well-be- 
loved wife  out  of  a  world  of  pain  &  sorrows  to  his 
Eternal  rest."  He  adds,  "  My  will  &  last  testament  is 
that  she  do  faithfully  and  conscientiously  and  impar- 
tiall}-  distribute  the  surviving  negroes,  together  with  the 
whole  fortune  she  shall  die  possessed  of,  Justly  and 
honestly  to  the  above-mentioned  cliildriMi,  according  to 
their  beliaviuv."  Dr.  Barton  Tabbs  was  the  executor 
of  the  parson's  will,  wliich  leads  us  to  infer  tliat  it 
had  been  made  some  years  before  his  deatli,  and  that 
the  son,  intended  by  him  for  a  profession,  liad  obe}ed 
his  father's  wishes. 

Tabb.s'  Purchase  was  a  portion  of  his  Lordship's  manor 
of  Snow  Hill.  Frederic,  tlic  last  and  the  worst  of  the 
Lords  Proprietary,  cared  nothing  ft>r  the  province,  for 
whose  welfare  his  ancestor,  Cecil  Calvert,  had  labored 
so  faitlifidly;  and,  in  course  of  time,  Snow  Hill  and 
other  lands  reserved  for  tlu-  Lord  Projirictary's  use  were 
put  into  tlic  liaiids  of  connnissioners  to  be  disposed  of,  in 
order  to  raise  money  for  his  dissipations. 

Chaptico  was  also  one  of  the  baronial  manors  l)elong- 
in"-  to  thf  Calvoi-ts  Tliroutrhout  that  section  of  the 
coimtr\    are  to  be  I'ound  old  homes  associated  with  his- 


58  t^c  Mn  llBrich  Clnircljcs  of  3l9ari'lanD. 

toiic  times,  and  the  old  Thomas  place,  called  Deep  Falls 
on  account  of  its  terraces,  is  an  interesting  spot  about 
three  miles  from  the  church. 

To  the  west  of  Leonardtown,  the  county  seat  of  St. 
Mary's,  is  to  be  found  one  of  the  few  brick  structures 
remaining-  to  the  Roman  Catholics  from  the  colonial 
period.  This  is  the  quaint  little  chapel  of  St.  Francis, 
erected  by  Father  Ashley  in  1767.  The  first  place  of 
Roman  Catholic  worship  in  Maryland  was  an  Indian 
building  made  of  bark,  called  a  "  witchott,"  which  they 
found  at  the  village  of  Yaocomoco  ujjon  fii-st  landing, 
and  adapted  to  tlie  ritual  of  their  church.  Their  first 
chapel  of  any  prominence  was  not  built  until  1661, 
when  "  Wm.  Bretton  Esqr.  with  the  good  liking  of  his 
dearly  beloved  wife  Temperance  Bretton,"  "  to  the 
greater  honor  and  glory  of  Almighty  God,  the  ever 
Immaculate  Virgin  Mary  and  all  saints,"  granted  to 
tlie  Roman  Catholic  inhabitants  of  Newtown  and 
St.  Clement's  Bay  and  their  posterity,  an  acre  and 
a  half  of  ground  for  a  chapel  and  a  cemetery.  This 
record  is  of  interest ;  for  although  the  chapel  of 
St.  Ignatius  has  long  since  disappeared,  the  ceme- 
tery is  undoubtedly  the  same  that  one  passes  on 
the  way  to  the  Bretton  JManor  House,  a  mile  or  tw^o 
further  down  the  Neck.  This  house  belongs  to  the 
priests,  and  is  now  occupied  by  a  tenant,  who  farms  the 
land  and  opens  the  chapel  of  St.  Francis  to  visitors. 
The  house  was  originally  one  story  high,  with  a  curb 
roof,  as  is  shown  by  a  seam  in  the  brick  on  tlie  gable 


CClilliam  13rftton,  Csn.  59 

end.  Tlie  foundations  of  a  former  dwi^'lliny  c-an  be 
traced,  in  very  dry  weather,  between  the  chapel  and 
the  manor  liouse;  and  there  the  worthy  couple,  AVilliam 
and  Temperance,  probably  lived  when  the  deed  of  Kiiil 
was  signed.  Tlie  land  lies  between  St.  Clement's  I3ay 
and  Britton's  Bay,  and  is  known  as  Beggar's  Neck, 
probably  from  the  tradition  that  William  Bretton  died 
in  povert}'.  His  son  and  daughter  are  on  record  as 
lia\ing  received  alms;  but  the  latter  years  of  his  life 
are  veiled  in  mystery,  and  the  causes  of  his  reverses 
unknown.  It  seems  indeed  the  irony  of  fate  that  a  man 
who  had  been  a  large  landholder,  a  public  benefactor,  a 
soldier  at  St.  Inigoes  Fort,  a  register  of  the  Provincial 
Court,  and  a  clerk  of  the  Assembly  of  1650,  should  have 
dropped  so  completely  from  the  ken  of  man,  and  that 
his  children  should  have  been  found  begging  their 
bread. 

But  to  return  to  the  Episcopal  Church.  Another 
ancient  parish,  situated  in  St.  Mary's  County  and 
having  an  "old  brick  church,"  is  "All  Faith,"  which 
belonged  to  Calvert  when  tliat  county  extended  on 
both  sides  of  tlie  Patuxent  Kiver.  The  first  church 
was  already  standing  in  1G92.  Its  successor  occu- 
pies the  same  site  at  the  fork  of  Tient  Creek,  not 
far  from  the  ^lilitary  School  at  Charlotte  Hall,  where 
the  earliest  known  springs  of  the  State,  called  the 
"Cool  Springs,"  were  situated.  The  first  vestrymen 
on  record  were  Captain  James  Keech,  John  Smith, 
Tvichnrd   Southern,  John   (iillnin,   Charles  Asheam,   and 


60  tl)c  *I^lD  XBrirfe  Cimrcljrs  of  sparvHanO. 

Captain  R.  Gardiner.  The  name  of  Captain  James 
Keecli  reappears  in  a  doennient  dated  Jnne  4th,  169S, 
whicli  throws  some  lig-Iit  upon  one  of  the  good  deeds 
of  a  royal  governor  of  the  province.  It  runs  as 
follows  :  — 

"  Mr.  Philip  Lyiies  appearing  at  the  board  and  giving  an  ac- 
count of  some  extraordinary  cures  lately  wioiiglit  at  the  '  Cool 
Springs,'  St.  Mary's  County,  and  that  several  poor  peo}jle  flocked 
thither  to  recover  their  health,  his  excellency  the  governor 
is  to  send  and  give  to  those  poor  people  at  the  Cool  Springs 
ten  Bibles  there  to  remain.  His  excellency  the  governor  also 
orders  that  Captain  James  Keech  and  Mr.  Philip  Lynes  do  jno- 
vide  some  sober  person  to  read  prayers  there  twice  a  day,  and  is 
pleased  to  lend  the  person  who  reads  prayers  a  book  of  Homilies, 
two  books  of  family  devotions  and  a  book  of  reformed  devotions 
by  Dr.  Theophihis  Darringtun,  out  of  which  books  he  is  to  read  to 
them  on  Sundays.  Further  ordered  that  the  said  Captain  Keech 
acquaint  Captain  John  Dent,  who  is  the  owner  of  said  house  and 
land,  that  if  he  be  willing,  his  excellency  will  have  made  a  read- 
ing desk  and  some  benches  to  be  placed  in  the  new  house  there 
for  the  use  of  the  poor  people  there  gathered  together.  His  ex- 
cellency is  pleased  also  to  allow  to  the  said  people  every  Sunday 
a  mutton  and  as  much  corn  as  will  amount  to  thirteen  shillings 
a  week. 

"  Ordered  that  the  person  who  reads  prayers  take  an  account 
of  what  persons  come  thither  who  are  cured  and  of  what 
distempers." 

Before  introducing  to  the  reader  the  brick  clinrches 
of  Calvert  Coimty,  "  lying  east  side  of  Patuxent,"  a  few 
words  should  be  said  about  the  county  itself.  Erected 
in  1654,  at  a  time  wdien  rival  factions  were  contending 
on  its  borders,  it  became  in  1672  the  scene  of  a  great 


Cbrist  Churrl),  CalUrrt  Cotiiuv'.  61 

religious  awakening'.  Tliis  was  owing  to  the  preaching 
of  George  Fox,  the  Quaker,  and  all  classes  and  all  sects 
flocked  to  hear  him,  and  when  he  returned  to  Enoland, 
in  1G73,  the  need  of  spiritual  masters  was  more  than 
ever  felt. 

A  letter  written  by  the  Rev.  John  Yeo  in  1G7G,  urging 
the  necessity  of  more  tdergy  being  sent  to  the  i)rovince, 
failed  to  call  forth  a  response  from  England,  and  it 
was  not  till  1(!86,  after  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury 
had  been  aj^pealed  to  by  a  woman,  —  ilarv  Tanev,  the 
wife  of  Michael  Taney,  the  county  sheriff,  —  that  the 
matter  was  considered  seriously,  and  the  Rev.  Paul 
Bertrand  was  sent  over,  his  expenses  being  j)ald  from 
the  secret  service  fund  of  the  King-. 

A  church  had  already  been  built  on  ground  given  by 
Mr.  Francis  Maiden  out  of  his  tract  called  "  Prevent 
Danger."  This  was  the  predecessor  of  Christ  Church. 
Two  brick  buildings  have  succes-sively  occupied  this 
site  ;  the  first  was  of  brick  brou"-ht  from  England  in 
1732,  and  the  second  was  built  by  Colonel  Alexander 
Somervell  about  the  vear  1772. 

Chri.st  Church  Parish  celebrated  its  bi-centennial  in 
1892  ;  and,  during  the  services  held  at  the  church,  a  Bible 
was  used,  which  wns  two  hundred  and  twentv  A-ears  old. 

An  existing  document  refers  to  a  register  of  births, 
deaths,  and  marriages,  dating  back  to  1072,  which,  with 
other  records,  is  supposetl  to  have  perished  in  one  of 
those  court-house  fires,  which  have  been  so  disastrous 
to  our  local  historv- 


62  tl)t  ©ID  5l5rich  CUurcljcs  of  t^arvlanD. 

The  names  of  the  first  vestrymen  were  as  follows  :  — 

Richard  Smith.  Capt.  John  Clagget. 

Henry  Fernley.  Francis  Malden. 

John  Manning.  Samuel  Hollingsworth. 

The  Rev.  Henry  Hall,  wlio  died  in  charge  of  St. 
James',  Anne  Arundel  County,  in  1723,  was  rector  <>f 
Christ  Church  from  1G95  to  1697. 

Middleham  Chapel,  in  the  same  parish,  was  rebuilt  in 
1748.  It  retains  a  quaint  old  bell  given  by  John  Hold- 
worth  to  the  first  chapel  in  1699. 

A  second  parish,  laid  out  in  Calvert  County  in  1692, 
on  the  east  side  of  the  Patuxent,  is  "All  Saints',"  which 
also  possesses  an  old  brick  church.  The  first  vestrymen 
of  this  parish  were  :  — 

Walker  Smith.  John  Scott. 

William  Nichols.  John  Leech. 

AViLLUM  Turner.  John  Hause. 

Another  2>arish,  in  what  is  now  known  as  Prince 
George's  County,  is  that  of  St.  Paul's,  and  the  church 
is  the  same  alluded  to  in  the  court  proceedings  of  Feb. 
14tli,  1692-93,  as  "the  church  being  built  at  Charles- 
Town."  It  has  been  altered  and  enlarged,  till  it  bears 
slight  resemblance  to  its  sisters  of  the  same  age.  It  is 
cruciform,  and  on  its  west  front  is  an  iron  sundial  of 
antique  design,  bearing  the  motto,  "  Sic  transit  gloria 
nuindi."  It  possesses  an  interesting-  relic  in  the  marble 
font,   which  is  said  to  have  been  presented  by  Queen 


0  popiilnr  Dflusion.  63 

Anno.  Tlii.s  font  was  sent  to  Knyland  for  repairs,  atur 
liaving  gone  through  tlie  war  of  the  Kcvohitioii,  and  it 
is  still  in  use.  The  stained-glass  chancel  window  was 
presented  by  the  Rev.  John  H.  Chew  in  uienior\  of  liis 
distinguished  relative,  Bi.shop  (.laggett,  who  was  twice 
rector  of  tlie  church.  The  bishop's  gravestone  is  to  lie 
found  in  the  Claggett  l)urial-ground,  not  fai-  distant,  and 
it  bears  a  Latin  inscription,  written  li\  Francis  Scott 
Key,  of  "  Star  Spangled  Banner"  fame.  A  late  rector  of 
this  parish  says  that  it  covers  an  area  of  sixty  square 
miles;  that  within  its  boinidaries  there  is  not  anotlicr 
resident  minister  of  religion  of  any  denomination,  and 
tliat  there  are  over  two  hundred  conniuniicants.  lie 
adds  that  "  it  is  not  an  unconnnon  delusion  to  thiid<  of 
the  Roman  Catholic  Church  of  Maryland  as  altogether 
in  the  ascendant."  To  dispel  this  delusion  one  has  onlv 
to  visit  the  rural  districts  of  Maryland,  and  to  study 
the  history  of  its  old  brick  churches. 


€l)aptcr  V. 


ITIMIAX   SETTLEMENTS. —  THE   "ACT   CONCEIIXIXG 

KELIUIOX.  ■  —  THE  (QUAKERS.  —  ANCIENT 

PARISHES  OE   ANNE  ARUNDEE 

COLNTY.  —  ST.    JAMES', 

HERRING   CREEK. 

THE  CHEWS. 


$ 


/tsr5vi'K    liave    seen    the    beginnino-s    of  Anjilo- 
("atliolic    Kent,    of   Koiiiiui   ( 'atliolic   St. 
%      Mar>'s,    and     now    we    will    glance    at 
^^1      Puritan   Anne   Arundel,    tu-    Providence, 
as  it  was  called  by  its  grateful  settlers, 
flying  from  religious  intolerance  in  Virginia. 

The  year  1649  marks  the  arrival  on  the  banks  of  the 
Severn  River  of  a  small  l)and  consisting  of  al)ont  ten 
families,  under  the  leadership  of  Richard  I'eiinett.  The 
celebrated  "  Act  Concerning  Religion  ''  was  passed  by 
the  Marvland  Assembly  that  same  year.  It  embodied 
the  distinctive  features  of  Puritan  legislation  in  Eng- 
land regarding  the  observance  of  Sunday ;  and  dancing, 
vaulting,  archerv,  and  other  sports  that  had  been 
allowed  during  the  reign  of  Charles  I.,  were  pro- 
hibited on  that  day. 

Tile  "Act"  also  jirovided  for  tlif  protection  of  all 
('liristian  sects  in  the  exercise  of  their  religion,  and 
forl)ade  a  disparaging  use  of  the  words  Tlcretic,  Schis- 
matic Idolater,  .Icsnif.  Papist.  Piiest.  Presbyterian,  In- 
dependent, Lutheran,  Paptist,  iirownist,  Antinomian, 
P>urrowist,  Brownist,  Roiuid  Head,  or  anv  other  secta- 
rian name,  and  imposed  a  line  ot  ten  pounds  for  the 
trans<>;ression  of  this  law. 


68  tljr  ©ID  IBrick  Cl)urcl)cs  of  i^ar^'lanD. 

For  si^eaking  disrespectfully  of  the  holy  apostles  or 
saints,  or  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  the  first  offence  was  a  fine, 
the  second  whijiping-  or  imjJi'isonment,  and  the  third 
banishment.  To  deny  the  Trinity  was  punishable  with 
death ;  but  there  is  no  evidence  that  this  last  clause  was 
ever  carried  into  effect.  In  1650  another  influx  of  Puri- 
tans arrived,  headed  by  Robert  Brooke,  who  seems,  in 
the  present  era  of  genealogical  research,  to  have  more 
descendants  in  search  of  their  ancestral  link  than  any 
other  personage  in  the  State.  Tliis  is  not  surprising, 
as  he  brought  with  him  eight  sons  and  two  daughters, 
many  of  whose  descendants  achieved  public  distinction. 
He  had  from  the  Proprietary  a  grant  of  two  thousand 
acres  on  the  Patuxent  River,  and  was  made  by  his 
charter  commander  of  Charles  County,  having  absolute 
feudal  supremacy  over  his  colony. 

Anne  Arundel  County  at  this  time  was  under  the 
commandership  of  Edward  Lloyd,  who  had  received 
his  appointment  from  William  Stone,  the  Protestant 
Governor  of  Maryland ;  but  the  settlers  of  Providence 
had  brought  the  Puritan  system  of  church  government 
with  them,  and  Bennett  and  Durand  were  their  pre- 
siding elders. 

A  meeting-house  was  built  near  the  Magothy  River, 
and  Mr.  Philip  Thomas,  then  a  strict  Puritan,  but  later 
a  leader  of  the  Quakers,  lived  on  the  premises,  and 
guarded  the  sanctuary.  The  more  Orthodox  among 
the  Patuxent  settlers  removed  to  Anne  Arundel,  and 
here  were  for  some   time  preserved  the  characteristics 


t\)(  Ufins  of  <3otinninriu  in   pmitaii   UaiiDs.      Gi) 

of  riiiitaiiism,  wliicli  were  lost  iiiuler  a  system  of"  t'cuilal 
laws  and  inaiioiial  courts  in  the  settlement  of  the  first 
("liarles  County. 

The  oath  of  fidelity  to  the  Lord  Pioprietar\-  was 
modified  in  l(i.")()  l)v  another  Aet  of  Assemldv,  and 
the  words  "' A1)S(dute  Lord"  and  "  Roval  Jurisdiction," 
which  stuck  in  the  Puritan  throat,  A\crc  cxjiunged. 
From  this  year  the  Roman  Catholic  power  declined, 
and   ^laryhuul   liecanie  largely   Protestant. 

For  eight  years  the  reins  of  government  were  in  Puri- 
tan hands,  till  matters  were  finally  adjusted  to  tlu-  liking 
of  these  trouble.some  subjects  of  Cecil,  Lord  IJaltiinorc. 
After  this  the  Puritans  of  Anne  Arundel  gave  the  Pro- 
prietary no  trouble,  and  in  KISM,  wlien  the  Protestant 
Revolution  broke  out,  they  hIoml'  refused  to  sign  the 
petition  to  their  Majesties,  William  and  ^lary,  to  repeal 
his  charter. 

Close  in  the  wake  of  the  Puritans  followed  the 
Quakers,  who.  like  them,  liad  been  })ersecuted  else- 
where. Slowly  and  quietly  this  thrifty  and  peace-loving 
people  won  the  favor  of  the  colonists;  and  in  1065  we 
find  the  very  men  holding  minor  offices,  who  had  been 
complained  of  as  "  vagabonds  and  seditious  persons," 
because  they  refused  to  sit  on  juries  and  take  the  oath, 
or  serve  in  the  militia.  They  were  relieved  from  taking 
the  oath  in  testamentary  cases,  and  were  permitted  to 
wear  their  hats  on  all  occasions  ! 

The  first  house  built  for  the  "Yearly  Meeting"  of 
"  Friends "   was    at  West    River,    where    an   interesting 


70  t\)C  (©10  IBricb  Cljurcljrs  of  £13aiiUanJ). 

old  graveyard  is  still  to  be  seen.  Tlie  Galloways, 
Murrays,  Chestons,  Chews,  and  others,  who  afterwards 
became  influential  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church, 
attended  this  "  meeting-house." 

In  1672,  when  George  Fox  preached  in  Anne  Arun- 
del, the  Puritan  meeting-house  was  thrown  open  to  him, 
for  many  of  those  who  were  stanch  Puritans  ten  years 
before  were  now  zealous  Quakers.  Sometimes  this  had 
been  effected  by  marriage,  as  in  the  case  of  Samuel 
Chew,  whose  wife,  Anne  Ayres,  was  of  that  faith. 

It  was  in  this  part  of  the  province  where  stern  Pu- 
ritanism was  softened  by  contact  with  tlie  gentle  Friend, 
that  four  Church  of  England  parishes  were  laid  out  in 
1692,  and  here  are  to  be  found  at  present  three  brick 
churches  dating  from  colonial  times.  These  churches 
represent  the  parishes  of  St.  Margaret's  Westminster, 
of  All  Hallows',  and  of  St.  James ;  but  these  localities, 
kiu)\vn  originally  as  Broad  Neck,  South  River,  and  Her- 
ring Creek,  had  their  places  of  worship  before  16'J2. 

The  Rev.  Duell  Pead,  of  South  River,  afterwards  All 
Hallows'  Parish,  performed  the  rites  of  baptism  at  An- 
napolis in  1682  iind  in  1(100  In  l(]i^?,  he  preached  be- 
fore both  houses  of  tlie  Assembly,  whicli  was  held  that 
year  at  the  "  Ridge"  in  Anne  Arundel  County. 

The  records  of  St.  James',  or  Herring  Creek  Parish, 
show  that  at  a  meeting  of  the  vestry  held  on  the  1st 
of  April,  1695,  it  was  ordered  thnt  tlie  sheriff  pay 
Morgan  Jones  eight  hundred  pounds  of  tobacco  for 
"covering    the    old     church     iind     finisliing     the     inside 


»>t.    liiinrs',   Drninc;   Ciffk. 


accordiiifj  to  afj-reenient,"  —  ;i  cuniliisive  faft  tliat  lliere 
was  a  cliiircli  Ijft'orc  tlif  parishes  were  laid  out  in 
1(192.  At  another  meeting,  held  im  the  2'Jth  of  April, 
it  was  ordered  that  a  eliiuch  l)e  built  "forty  feet  l)y 
twenty-four,  and  twelve  feet  high  ;  "  i)ut  this  order  was 
not  carried  out  luitil  1717.  when  the  vestrymen  ''or- 
dered, and  in  171s  jiaiil  fur,  twenty  tlnuisaiid  liiieks 
made    u[)on    the    glel)e."     'I'his    glebe   was    aecjuiretl   by 


St.  .James',  Ueruing  Creek,  Chukch  Silvek. 

the  chureh  in  1707,  when  an  Act  of  Asseni])ly  was 
passed  for  investing  the  vestrymen  of  St.  James'  Parish, 
Anne  Arundel  County,  with  certain  lands  given  to  said 
parish  by  'Mr.  James  Rigby,  and  Elizabeth,  his  wife, 
both  deceased. 

In  1760  the  church  was  again  rebuilt,  and  is  still 
standing.  It  is  nearly  sqnare,  and  has  a  hip  roof  like 
the  one  on  the  present  All  Hallows'  Church,  which  dates 
from  about  1722;  but  while  the  latter  is  oi)en  inside  to 


72  tljc  #ID  llBrtth  Cl)urtl)rs  of  £|9arv'lanD. 

the  roof,  St  James'  lias  a  vaulted  ceiling  spanning  the 
building  and  slanting  off  at  the  ends  to  harmonize  with 
the  conformation  outside.  There  are  t\yo  aisles,  and 
three  sections  of  square  pews  with  doors.  The  win 
dows,  with  their  deep  embrasures,  are  rounded  at  the 
top,  and  in  most  of  them  the  small  panes  are  still 
preserved.  There  are  two  stained-glass  windows  in 
the  chancel,  and  the  corners  near  it  are  boxed  off 
into  vestry-room  and  choir,  —  which  necessary  contriv- 
ances mar  the  effect  of  the  otherwise  perfect  interior ; 
they,  moreover,  hide  the  tablets  containing  the  Lord's 
Prayer  and  the  Creed,  which,  with  the  Ten  Command- 
ments covering  the  space  between  the  chancel  win- 
dows, were  i)robably  procured  with  the  legacy  of  £10 
given  in  1723  by  the  wife  of  William  Locke,  Esq., 
"  towards  adorning  the  altar  of  St  James  with  Creed, 
Lord's  Prayer,  and  Ten  Commandments."  The  altar 
in  those  days  often  meant  the  enclosure  within  the 
chancel  rail,  wliich  in  this  church  extended  originally 
across  the  east  end. 

William  Locke  himself  gave  money  for  a  silver  basin 
or  baptismal  bowl,  which  is  now  one  of  the  four  pieces 
of  which  the  church  plate  consists.  It  bears  the  date  of 
1732,  and  also  the  name  of  the  donor,  with  the  word 
"Armigeri"  after  it;  but  what  was  his  coat  of  arms  we 
do  not  know. 

The  alms  basin  was  the  gift  of  the  rector,  the  Rev. 
Henry  Hall,  who  died  in  1723.  The  other  pieces  look 
as  if  they  might  be  of  an  earlier  date,  and  all  are  men- 


Mljtppmg    post  iinO  stocks.  73 

tioneil  in  the  cIiuitIi  inventories  of  174.S  and  \7't'2,  when 
they  weri'  placed  in  care  <»i  the  vestry.  Ani(in<^-  the 
articles  mentioned  on  the  list  of  17.")'2  was  a  fla^-on, 
which  has  disajipeared,  and  also  "  one  hood,"  which 
indicates  that  a  man  of  leaniinir  had  lieeu  in  charo-c 
of  the  parish 

Such  are  the  sij^'ns  ol  prosperity  and  honor  in  this 
parish;  but  an  order  entered  on  the  church  records  for 
whipping-post  and  stocks  shows  that  it  possessed  also 
these  iiistnnnents  of  shame,  as  did  many  paiisjies  at  tliat 
time,  where  vestrymen  exercised  judicial  power,  and 
churchwardens  adnunistered  punishment  on  the  spot. 

The  minister  of  the  parish,  who  was  chief  vestryman, 
was  obliged,  under  penalty  of  a  fine,  to  read  from  the 
chancel  four  times  a  year  the  laws  concerninor  Sabbath 
breaking,  drunkenness,  swearing,  and  other  offences. 

The  vestrymen  generally  occupied  together  a  place  of 
honor  in  the  church,  thus  impressing  the  community 
with   tlieir  dignity  and  authority. 

In  the  graveyard  of  St.  James'  is  a  slab  raised  in 
IGHf)  to  a  nameless  woman,  whose  virtues  in  life  and 
whose  departure  to  realms  f)t  the  blessed  inspired  tlu; 
following  lines :  — 

This  register  is  for  her  bones 
Her  fame  is  more  per]K>tual  than  the  stones 
And  still  her  virtues  tliough  her  life  be  gone 
Shall  live  v.hen  earthly  monuments  are  none 
Who,  reading  this  can  chuse  but  drop  a  tear 
For  such  a  wife  and  such  a  Jlother  dear 
She  ran  her  race  and  now  is  laid  to  rest 
And  allalugie  sings  among  the  blest. 


74  t[)c  i©lJ)  315ricb  Cljurcbrg  of  a)9arv'lanD. 

The  Rev.  Henry  Hall  also  lies  in  St.  James'  church- 
yard, under  a  horizontal  slab  mounted  on  a  brick  foun- 
dation. Another  slab,  flat  to  the  ground,  bears  tins 
inscription  :  — 

Here  lies  the  body  of  the  Hon.  Seth  Biggs  Esq. 
who  departed  this  life  &  was  interred  the  31^'' 
OF  July  1708  in  the  55tii  year  of  iils  age. 

No  tombstone  of  the  Chew  family  is  found  in  this 
graveyard,  althougli  the  estate  of  Samuel  Chew  was 
near  Herring  Bay,  and  in  liis  will  he  styles  himself 
Samuel  Chew  of  Herrington.  In  16GU  he  was  sworn 
in  as  one  of  the  justices  of  the  Chancery  and  Provin- 
cial Courts.  A  land  writ,  issued  to  him  in  1650  by 
the  Lord  Proprietary,  calls  him  his  "  Lordship's  well- 
beloved  Saml.  Chew,  Esq.,"  and  his  name  appears  in  both 
Houses  of  Assembly  until  1G76,  the  year  of  his  deatli. 

His  grandson.  Dr.  Samuel  Chew  of  IVIaidstone,  an 
estate  near  Annapolis,  married  twice  into  the  Galloway 
family  of  Tulip  Hill,  West  River.  He  afterwards  re- 
moved to  Dover,  and  was  crejited  Chief-Justice  of  the 
three  lower  counties  of  the  Province  of  Pennsylvania, 
now  included  in  the  State  of  Delaware.  He  was  called 
the  fighting  Quaker,  and  his  vigorous  speech  on  the 
lawfulness  of  self-defence  is  celebrated  in  verse  by  a 
local  poet  of  the  time,  as  follows  :  — 

Immortal  Chew  first  set  our  Quakers  right ; 
He  made  it  plain  they  might  resist  and  fight; 
And  gravest  Dons  agreed  to  what  he  said, 
And  freely  gave  their  cash  for  the  King's  aid, 
For  war  successful,  and  for  peace  and  trade. 


&amurl  Chrto,  t!ir  i^igljting  Oiiabrr.  70 

The  Asseniljly  fur  tlio  lower  counties  passed  a  militia 
law,  with  [)n>visioii  for  arms,  ammmiitioii,  etc.,  which 
the  Quakers  endeavored  to  frustrate  hy  declaring-  it 
"contrary  to  their  {-harter  and  privileges."  The  ( 'hit-f- 
Justice  sustained  the  law,  for  which  he  was  expelled 
from  tlif  Quaker  comnnniity.  In  a  leading  gazette 
ot'  tlic  time  appeared  an  article  from  his  pen,  wliich 
might  be  called  an  Essay  on  the  Theory  and  Practice 
of  Toleration. 

"  New  sects,"  he  .says,  "  are  all  aljle  clearly  to  prove 
that  matters  of  judgment  and  opinion,  not  being  under 
the  power  and  direction  of  the  will,  ought  to  be  left  free 
and  unmolested  to  all  men;  but  once  installed  and  con- 
tirnied,  we  too  often  find  that  those  very  people  who 
have  contended  for  liberty  of  conscience  and  universal 
toleration  become  more  clear-sighted,  and  soon  discover 
the  necessity  for  uniformity  in  matters  of  religion.  The 
people  called  Quakers,"  he  says,  "  are  a  surinising  ex- 
ample of  this  spirit  of  peace  and  charity  maintained  as 
long  as  they  had  occasion  for  it ;  that  is,  as  long  as  they 
were  oppressed  and  persecuted ;  .  -  .  but  in  process  of 
time,  having  grown  Rich  and  Powcrfull,  they  extend  their 
Jurisdiction,  and  carry  their  claim  so  high  as,  for  differ- 
ences concerning  even  speculative  matters,  to  exclude 
persons  from  their  society  with  hard  names,  and  other 
marks  of  bitterness  worth}-  of  the  Pope  himself.  .  .  . 
Their  bulls  of  exconnnunication  are  as  full-fraught  with 
fire  and  brimstone  and  other  church  artillery  as  those 
even  of  the  Pope  of  Home." 


76  t[)e  ©li)  llBiicb  €l)iin\)cs  of  spar^lanD. 

Samuel  Chew  was  the  father  of  Benjamin,  the  illus- 
trious Chief-Justice  of  Pennsylvania,  whose  house  at 
Cliveden,  Germantown,  was  used  as  a  temporary  for- 
tification against  American  bullets  at  the  time  of  the 
Revolution,  creating  a  diversion  after  the  battle  of  Ger- 
mantown which  kept  the  Americans  from  following  up 
their  advantage. 

Benjamin  tried  to  be  neutral  when  hostilities  broke 
out,  but  was  thrown  into  confinement  with  John  Penn, 
on  the  principle  that  "  those  who  are  not  with  us  are 
against  us." 

The  welcome  given  by  iiis  daughters  to  the  British 
officers  was  also  a  cause  of  complaint.  Of  these.  Major 
Andre  selected  Peggy  Chew  as  his  "  Lady  of  tlie 
Blended  Rose"  in  the  famous  Mischianza  Tourney  and 
fete. 

The  following  verses  addressed  to  her  by  Andre  are 
preserved  by  one  of  her  descendants :  — 

If  at  the  close  of  war  and  strife 

Mj'  destiny  once  wore 

Should  in  the  various  paths  of  life 

Conduct  me  to  this  shore  ; 

Should  British  banners  guard  the  land, 

And  faction  be  restrained, 

And  Cliveden's  mansion  peaceful  stand, 

No  more  with  blood  be  stained  ; 

Say,  wilt  thou  then  receive  again 

And  welcome  to  thy  sight 

The  youth  who  liids,  with  stifled  pain, 

His  sad  farewell  to-niarht  ? 


i^fSSr  Cljfto  nuD  il^aior  Hntirr.  77 

Peggy  and  Ilaniet  Chew  were  borne  as  brides  to 
Maryland  by  two  distinguished  characters  of  the  time, 
Colonel  John  Eager  Howard,  and  Charles  Carroll  of 
Carrollton,  only  son  of  "  tlie  Signer." 

The  little  Tory,  Peggy,  had  at  first  cherished  a  feel- 
ing of  bitterness  to^\•ard  the  hero  of  Cowpens,  because 
he  had  vanquished  her  beloved  Red-coats  ;  but  meeting 
him  one  night  at  a  ball,  where  he  stood  apart,  with  his 
arm  in  a  sling,  she  became  interested  in  the  silent  man, 
who  not  long  afterwards  achieved  the  conquest  of  her 
heart.  Years  afterward  her  children  would  gather  around 
her  to  listen  to  tales  of  the  Revolution.  One  night,  while 
their  father  was  apparently  absorbed  in  his  Ixnik,  their 
mother  talked  of  Andre,  tliat  "  most  l)rilliaut  and  ele- 
gant gentleman."  The  Colonel  rose,  and  striding  toward 
the  group,  exclaimed,  "  Don't  listen  to  her,  children  ! 
He  was  nothing  but  a  dauuied  .spy  !  " 


Cljciptcr  VI. 

ANNE   ARFXDEL,  Contisied.  -  THE   SOUTH   RIVER   CLUB. 
ALL  HALLOWS'  CHURCH. -THE   REV.  JOSEPH   COL- 
BATCH.  —  MARLEY  CHAPEL. —  ODD  NAMES. 
ST.  ANNE'S   PARISH.  — THE  DORSEYS. 
QUEEN  CAROLINE   PARISH 
CHURCH,  HOWARD 
COUNTY. 


$ 


VI. 


PROMIXKXT  colonist  of  South  River 
was  the  Hon.  Wilhani  liurgess,  whose 
tombstone  is  one  of  the  oltk-st  in  ]\[ary- 
laiid.      His  ej)ita]ih  runs  as  follows:  — 


IIkKK  LYETII  VE  body  of  W.  BuRGES  E.-iQ,  WHO  DE- 
PARTED THIS  LIFE  OX  YE  24  D.\V  OF  JaXI".,  ltJ86  ;  AGED 
.\BOlT  G4  Y'E.^RS  ;  LKAVINci  Ills  DeAR  BELOVED  WIFE 
UkSLL.\  and  eleven  CIIILDKEN  ;  VIZ.  .SEVE.N  SONS  .\ND 
FOIR    D.\IGHTEKS,    AND    EIGHT    (il! AXDCHILDHEX. 

In    his    LIFETIME    HE    WAS    A    MEMBER     ol      III-     I.ORD- 

suip's  Council  of  State;  one  of  his  Loudsiiip's 
Deputy-governors,  a  Justice  of  ye  High  1'rovin- 
ci.\L  Court,  Colon,  of  a  regiment  of  y'e  Trained 
Bands,  .\xd  sometime  (Jexeral  of  all  ye  Military 
Forces  of  this  Provixce. 

His  loving  wife  Ursula,  his  Executi-.ix,  In  tes- 
timony- OF  her  true  respect,  .\nd  due  regard  to 
the  Deserts  of  her  dear  deceased  Husband,  hath 
erected    this    MoNI'MENT. 


All  Hallows'  Graveyard,  South  River,  is  full  rif  these 
memorials,  suggesting  different  phases  of  human  life 
in  the  past.  In  one  secluded  corner  stands  an  elaborate 
stone  to  the  memory  of  Elizabeth  Allein,  and  in  another 
an  altar  tomb  to  '' Mv  Louisa;''  on  a  third  tablet  is  a 

6 


82 


ti]t  #10  liBritlj  COurcIjfg  of  aparplanD. 


coat-of-arms,  indicating  that  Samuel  Peele,  of"  London 
town,  who  died  in  1733,  indulged  in  the  "  boast  of 
heraldry  and  the  pomp  of  power."  On  another  is 
a  Latin  inscription,  dated 
1766,  recording  the  virtues 
of  Margaret,  wife  of  James 
Dick,  "  Merchant  of  London 
town."  This  was  doubt- 
less the  town  founded  by 
AVilliam    Burgess    in    1G80 


but  now  extinct. 

Li  liis  "  Daystar  of  Amer- 
ican   Freedom,"    George    L. 


Graves  of  the  Djik  Family. 


L.  Davis  says  :  "  From  this  town's  successful  rival- 
ship  with  Annapolis,  during  the  first  few  years  ;  from 
the  antiquity  of  the  South  River  Club  ;  and  from  the 
superior  style    of  the    monumental    inscriptions    at  the 


t\)t  *>outl)  Uibrr  Club.  83 

parish  church  and  upon  the  phmtations ;  I  infer, 
the  settlement,  in  point  of  intellectual  culture  and  re- 
fiiiciiu-nt,  upon  this  river,  was  in  advance  of  the  one 
upon  tlie  other"  (the  Severn).  He  also  says  that  it 
chiefly  consisted  of  Puritans  and  Anglo-Catholics. 

Tlie  South  Kiver  Club-house  still  stands,  and  is  now 
lent  to  the  local  Grangers  for  their  meetings.  IIei"e 
the  good  loyal  sulyects  of  the  King  once  met  to  drink 
his  health  on  such  occasions  as  the  birth  or  wedding 
of  a  jji'ince,  and  here,  no  doubt,  the  hous  vivaiifs  of  the 
day  tested  the  best  way  of  cooking  the  terrapin,  the 
canvas-back  duck,  the  oyster,  and  the  soft-shell  crab. 
Tlie  menu  on  the  most  festive  occasions  always  included 
pork  in  some  form  or  another;  a  roasted  "sucking  pig," 
witli  an  apple  in  his  month,  was  a  substitute  for  the 
boar's  head  of  old  England  ;  and  the  turkey,  though 
less  picturesque  than  the  feathered  peacock,  was  a 
toothsome  morsel  when  stuffed  with  oysters,  boiled, 
and  served  with  a  good  "  nip  of  punch,"  which  was 
tlie  popular  beverage  at  the  time,  although  Madeira,  in 
heavy  cut-glass  decanters,  resting  in  silvcr-plateil  coas- 
ters, was  to  be  found  on  every  gentleman's  sideboard. 
'Die  South  River  Club  is  in  easy  driving  distance  from 
Annapolis,  and  many  prominent  men  of  "  ye  olden 
time"  in  Maryland  belonged  to  it.  The  list  of  its 
founders  is  lost,  but  tliere  exists  a  deed,  dated  1740, 
which  was  executed  between  John  Gassaway  on  the 
one  part,  and  Robert  Sanders  as  trustee  on  the  other, 
confirming  a  previous  transaction  between  the  "  Society, 


84  t^c  ©ID  Bricfe  Cl)urrl)cs  of  £parv'lanD. 

or  Company,  called  the  South  River  Club,"  and  John 
Gassaway's  father,  acknowledging  the  receipt  by  the 
latter  of  eight  pounds  curi-ent  money  for  the  half-acre 
of  land,  and  club-house  standing  upon  it. 

A  new  clnb-house  was  built  in  1742,  and  from  that 
date  a  list  of  members  has  been  preserved.  On  this 
list  we  find  the  names  of  sevei'al  clergymen,  —  the  Rev. 
William  Brogden,  the  Rev.  Archibald  Spooner,  the  Rev. 
Mason  L.  Weems,  —  and  also  members  of  the  families 
of  Stockett,  Burgess,  Dick,  Moore,  Caton,  Nicholson, 
Maccubbin,  Hall,  Lux,  West,  Harwood,  Hammond, 
Stewart,  Brewer,  and  others. 

Now,  it  is  time  to  say  something  about  old  All 
Hallows'  Church,  South  River.  It  is  entered  by 
the  south  door,  and  opens  into  a  vestry-room  at 
the  west  end,  which  was  once  surmounted  by  a  bel- 
fry with  a  bell,  bearing  the  date  1727.  The  floor  of 
the  aisles  is  tiled,  and  lies  lower  than  that  of  the 
pews.  The  windows  are  double,  with  a  segmental 
arch,  —  a  style  of  church  architecture  temporarily 
adopted  between  1720  and  1740,  though  now  com- 
mon. An  interesting  fact  connected  witli  tliis  church 
is  that  in  1727  the  Bishop  of  London  sent  for  the 
rector,  the  Rev.  Joseph  Colbatcli,  to  come  to  England 
for  consecration.  He  consented  to  go,  but  the  civil 
authorities  procured  a  Avrit  of  ne  exeat,  by  which  he 
was  forbidden  to  leave  the  province.  The  church  in 
Maryland,  therefore,  continued  without  a  bishop,  and 
the  scandals  among  the  clergy  remained  unchecked. 


X 

o 


£Barlrv'  Cljapcl.  85 

To  show  tlio  fueliiii,''  against  bishops,  we  quote 
the  following  extract  from  a  contemporaiy  writer: 
"  Thron<>hout  the  Southern  i)rovinces  the  members  of 
the  Established  Church  greatly  exceed  those  of  other 
denominations,  yet  I  :un  persuaded  that  any  attempt 
to  establish  a  hieraiehy  woidd  be  resisted  witli  as 
much  ncriinonv  as  during  the  gloomy  prcvaloncy  of 
Puritanical  zeal." 

The  original  parish  church  of  St.  Margaret's  West- 
minster stood  on  Severn  Heights.  It  was  destroyed 
hv  fire  many  years  ago,  and  the  records  perished  an  itli 
it.  The  foundation,  surrounded  by  a  few  tombstones, 
alone  marks  the  site  This,  with  the  coiiiniuiiion  silver, 
bearing  the  date  171o,  and  a  deserted  ruin  of  a  chapel 
in  some  pine  woods  near  Marley,  nine  miles  from  Bal- 
timore, arc  faithful  relics  of  the  past. 

Ruins  have  an  advantage  for  the  antiquary  that 
restorations  have  not  ;  for  while  the  construction  of 
a  church  may  be  disturbed  by  many  devices  to  arrest 
decav,  a  ruin  is  faithful  to  the  original  design.  A  de- 
scription of  Parley  Chapel  may  therefore  throw  some 
light  Tq)on  the  time  when  it  was  Iniilt.  The  ceiling,  a 
seo-mental  arch  from  which  nuicli  of  tlie  ijlaster  has 
fallen,  is  supported  by  wooden  cornices,  ami  tlie  brick- 
work over  the  doors  and  windows  follows  the  same 
curve.  Between  the  two  windows  at  the  east  end,  a 
stretch  of  cleaner  plaster  indicates  that  some  of  the 
cluu-ch  furniture  once  stood  there,  —  possibly  a  canopied 
pulpit,  familiarly  known  as  a  "three  decker;"  or  per- 
haps a  tablet  for  the  Commandments. 


86  t\)C  «©lD  JlBricfe  Cfjurcljcs  of  iiparvlani). 

The  bare  ground  enclosed  in  this  ruin  indicates  that 
either  a  brick  or  tile  jjavenient  covered  the  aisle,  and 
that  tlie  pews  were  raised  above  this  pavement  and 
probably  floored  with  boards.  There  remain  only  a  few 
beams  of  all  the  woodwork.  At  one  time  the  walls 
enclosed  a  stable,  and  now  they  are  only  useful  as 
a  sliclter  for  the  berry-pickers  who  swarm  in  Anne 
Arundel  County  during  the  busy  season.  The  aban- 
donment of  Marley  Chapel  to  these  uses  may  be 
explained  by  the  fact  that  the  truck  farmers  of  this 
region  are  generally  Baptists  or  Methodists. 

A  liberal  patron  of  St.  Margaret's  Westminster  Parish, 
Avas  Charles  Greenberry,  son  of  Colonel  Nicholas 
Greenberry,  the  emigrant  of  1674.  Dying  in  1713, 
Charles  left  his  estate  of  Whitehall  to  the  clnu'ch, 
and  one  hundred  years  ago  there  was  a  burj'ing- 
ground  at  Whitehall,  as  the  following  extract  from  the 
parish  record  shows :  "  Be  it  remembered  that  John 
Ridout,  Esq.,  a  native  of  Dorset,  England,  departed 
this  life  on  the  7th  day  of  October,  Anno  Domini, 
1797,  and  was  buried  at  Whitehall,  the  ceremony 
being  solemnized  l)y  the  Rev.  Ralpli  Higginbottom, 
of  St.  Anne's  Pari.sli." 

This  register  records  also  bits  of  personal  history, 
like  the  following:  "John  Stinchcomb  was  born  in  1717, 
and  lost  his  nose  with  a  fall  when  he  was  very  young ;  " 
besides  many  odd  Christian  names,  such  as  Bignall, 
Umphra,  Yourruth,  Arretto,  Comfort,  Venesha,  Constant, 
and  Resen.      In  all   probability,   the   clerk  Avas  partly 


fe>t.  annr's  JDarislj,  ilunapolts.  87 

responsible  for  their  oddity,  lliiiiiphrey,  Uratli,  and 
Reason  being  names  still  found  in  the  iinal  districts. 

In  1689  Anne  Arundel  County  was  reported  as  the 
most  populous  and  richest  of  the  province.  The  rec- 
ords of  bt.  Anne's  Parish  at  Annapolis  contain  the  names 
of  many  distinguished  men.  Sir  Francis  Nicholson, 
■who  succeeded  Sir  Lionel  Copley  as  governor  in  1694, 
gave  a  great  impetus  to  the  growth  of  the  town.  The 
act  for  the  building  of  King  William's  School  was 
passed  in   1G92. 

A  proof  of  St.  Anne's  honorable  age  as  a  parish 
is  found  in  a  set  of  communion  plate  of  solid  silver, 
made  in  London,  in  1G95,  by  Francis  Garthorne,  and 
engraved  with  the  arms  of  William  TIL 

Of  the  tirst  "  body  corporate  for  keeping  good 
order"  w^ere  Nicholas  Greenberry,  Colonel  Edward 
Dorsey,  and  Captain  Richard  Hill.  The  first  session 
of  the  Legislature  in  1694  was  held  at  the  house  of 
p]dwar(l  Dorsev,  and  again  in  1706,  after  the  State 
House  was  burned,  it  met  there. 

Colonel  Edwai'd  Dorsey  left  several  sons,  one  of 
whom  inherited  an  estate  at  P^lkridge,  Howard 
County,  which  was  then  part  of  Baltimore  County. 
Years  later  Caleb  Dorsey,  a  fox-hunting  bachelor  of 
Elkridge,  was  one  day  following  the  hounds,  when 
he  found  himself  in  a  part  of  the  country  he  had 
never  seen  before ;  and  meetiufj  a  voung  horsewoman, 
followed  by  a  groom  in  livery,  he  ventured  to  inquire 
of  her  the  way  to  the  Annapolis  road.     This  she  did 


88  ti)e  ©10  llBricfe  Cliurcljesi  of  3parvlanD. 

not  know,  but  with  true  filial  confidence  said  she  Avas 
sure  her  father  could  tell  hiui,  if  he  would  accompany 
her  to  the  house,  which  stood  a  little  way  from  the 
road.  He  gladly  accepted  the  invitation,  and  found 
Henry  Hill,  a  veteran  fox-hunter  as  enthusiastic  in 
the  sport  as  himself.  Hill  insisted  upon  Caleb's  re- 
maining his  guest  for  the  night,  in  order  to  see  how 
the  hunt  was  conducted  in  that  part  of  Anne  Arundel 
County.  After  this,  it  was  remarked  that  every  fox 
his  own  liounds  started  up  found  its  way  into  Anne 
Arundel,  and  the  game  he  finally  brought  home  was 
not  the  wily  animal  of  his  nominal  pursuit,  but  a 
"  Dear,"  —  if  the  pun  may  be  pardoned,  —  named  Pris- 
cilla,  who  proved  herself  to  be  an  admirable  house- 
wife. At  Belmont  stands  the  house  he  built  for  her 
in  1738.  It  is  still  occupied  by  their  descendants,  and 
near  bv  is  their  family  buryinsf-crround. 

Caleb's  eldest  daughter,  Rebecca,  married  Captain 
Charles  Ridgely  of  Hampton,  a  planter  of  Baltimore 
County,  and  Priscilla,  the  youngest,  married  Cliarles 
Ridgely  Cnrnan,  the  Captain's  nephew,  and  the  heir  to 
his  name  and  estate,  as  he  had  no  children.  The  old 
couple  had  doubtless  arranged  this  match  in  accord- 
ance with  the  custom  in  most  well-regulated  families 
of  that  day. 

Captain  Ridgely's  will  was  law.  He  decreed  that 
Charles  and  Priscilla  should  have  boy  children,  that 
the  descent  of  the  estate  might  be  through  male  heirs. 
When   Priscilla,   at  the  birth  of  her  second  child,  was 


CDluaiJ)  Dorsrp,  tljc  Donrst  Laluv'cr.  89 

asked  whether  a  messenger  sliouhl  not  lie  despatched 
across  country  witli  tlie  news  to  her  mother,  slie 
rejihed  sadly,  "No;  for  it  is  only  a  girl."  Kine  girls, 
it  was  this  good  lady's  fortune  to  have,  but  she  also 
had  three  boys,  and  tlie  present  Kidgelvs  of  Hamp- 
ton trace  their  descent  tlimugh  the  second  son. 

Captain  Ridgely  was  quite  a  character,  and  we  shall 
have  occasion  to  relate  other  anecdotes  concerning  him 
when  we  take  up  the  old  churches  of  Baltimore  County. 

Edward  Dorsey,  the  brother  of  Caleb,  was  called  the 
"  honest  lawyer,"  a  term  not  without  its  meaning  in  a 
day  when  lawyers  liad  a  liad  name. 

George  Alsop,  writing  from  Marvland,  says:  "Here, 
if  a  lawyer  had  nothing  else  to  detain  him  but  his  bawl- 
ing, he  might  button  up  his  chaps,  and  burn  his  buckram 
bag,  or  hang  it  on  a  pin  till  its  antiquity  had  eaten  it 
up,  so  contrar}'  to  the  genius  of  the  people,  if  not  to 
the  quiet  government  of  the  Province,  is  the  turbulent 
spirit  of  contumacious  and  vexatious  law  ^\h]\  its  quirks 
and  evasions." 

Another  hit  at  the  law  is  found  in  some  verses  l)v 
P^benezer  Cook,  written  in  17('8,  entitled  "The  Sot- 
weed  Factor;  or,  A  Voyage  to  Maryland."  Having 
entered  into  a  contract  for  the  sale  of  five  hundred 
pounds  of  tobacco  with  a  Quaker,  "  a  godly  knave, 
who  neither  swore  nor  kept  his  word,  but  cheated  in 
the  fear  of  God,"  he  afterwards  considered  himself 
swindled,   and  thus  continues  :  — 


90  tl)C  Mn  IBrtcb  Cl)urtljcs  of  £0arv'lauD. 

Resolved  to  plague  the  holy  brother, 

I  set  one  rogue  to  catch  another ; 

To  try  the  cause  then  fully  bent, 

Up  to  Annapolis  I  went ; 

A  city  situate  on  a  plain, 

Where  scarce  a  house  will  keep  out  rain. 

St.  Mary's  once  was  in  repute ; 
Now  here  the  judges  try  their  suit. 
And  lawyers  twice  a  year  dispute, 
As  oft  the  bench  most  gravely  meet, 
Some  to  get  drunk,  and  some  to  eat 
A  swinging  share  of  country  treat. 
But  as  for  justice,  right  or  wrong, 
Not  one  among  the  numerous  throng 
Knows  wliat  is  meant,  or  has  the  heart 
To  vindicate  a  stranger's  jiart. 
The  biassed  court  without  delay 
Adjudged  my  debt  in  country  pay  ; 
In  pipe  staves,  corn,  and  flesh  of  boar, 
Rare  cargo  for  the  English  shore. 

It  seems  tliat  juries  in  that  day  were  also  less 
governed  by  a  sense  of  moral  responsibility  than 
by  personal  considerations,  as  is  sliown  in  the  follow- 
ing anecdote  about  Captain  Ridgely's  brother :  ^  John 
Ridgely,  the  son  of  a  wealthy  land  and  furnace  owner, 
and  closel}^  connected  with  tlie  Dorseys,  was  tried  in 
Howard  County  for  the  murder  of  an  Ii-ishman,  who 
had  been  shot  while  trespassing  on  his  place,  but  he 
was  acquitted.     One   of  the  jurors,  upon  being  asked 

1  Harris'  and  McHenry's  Reports  mention  an  indictment  for  murder  against 
Charles  Ridgely,  1785.  Jolin  died  in  1772,  leaving  a  son  Charles.  Tradition 
and  fact  lia\e  to  be  reconciled  as  best  thev  may. 


iiurrn  Caroline  parisl).  91 

how  they  came  to  lot  liini  off,  answered,  "  Why,  surely, 
you    don't    tliink   a  jury    of  gentlemen    woidd   hano-  a 
good  fellow    like    Jolin    Kidgely  for  shooting  a  d-^ 
Irishman  ! " 

This  trial  took  place  in  what  is  now  known  as 
Howard  Count}-,  a  territory  taken  from  the  counties 
of  Anne  Arundel  and  Baltimore. 

An  old  church  associated  witli  the  names  of  Dorsey, 
Ridgely,  Hammond,  Worthington,  GriHitli,  and  Howartl, 
and  belonging  to  Queen  Caroline  Parish,  is  still  stand- 
nig  there.  It  has  a  handsome  communion  service, 
dating  from  1748,  and  a  Bible  presented  by  Commis- 
sary Henderson,  \\]\o  was  sent  over  to  report  on  the 
state  of  the  church  in  Maryland.  The  earliest  entiy 
on  the  parish  register  was  made  in  1711. 

One  has  occasionally  the  good  fortune  to  stumble 
on  old  letters  written  in  those  days.  In  one  of  these, 
written  by  a  young  merchant  of  Baltimore  town  to  his 
ol.l  uncle  in  London,  is  foimd  the  following  allusion 
to  the  Dorseys  of  Elkridge  :  — 

Mr.  Julai  Dorsey  desires  that  I  recommend  your  pay  of  his 
son's  draft  for  .£.50.  He  has  six  hosrslieads  in  Spencer  [Captain 
Spencer's  ship],  and  you  will  be  riglit  to  jtay  it,  as  great  umhrar/e 
to  that  family  tvouhl  he  given  otherivise. 

Ely  Dorsey  desired  that  I  would  write  that  Robert  Izard's 
draft  for  £10  and  Benj.  Brown's  for  £9  be  paid,  which  pray  do. 
.  .  .  Captain  Spencer  has  behaved  very  agreeable  to  people  here, 
and  I  desire  you  will  coiitimie  him  constant  to  this  river  (the 
Patapsco). 

Ely  Dorsey  and  the  old  man  are  very  serviceable  to  you,  and 


92  t\)c  <©ID  Brick  CljurcljfS  of  iiparv'lanD. 

you  must  be  very  careful  to  oblige  them.    In  short,  thei/  are  very 
potverful  among  the  people. 

The  writer  continues,  — 

The  crops  in  Baltimore  and  at  Elic  Ridge  are  very  good, 
South  River  and  Severn  but  indifferent ;  Patuxent,  ditto ;  East- 
ern Shore  very  poor. 

Elkridge  Landing-,  at  the  head  of  navigation  on  the 
Patapsco,  was  once  the  rival  of  Bahimore.  The  okl 
"  rolhng  road,"  down  which  were  drawn  hogsheads  of 
tobacco,  fastened  to  shafts  contrived  so  as  to  allow 
the  hogsheads  to  turn  like  wheels  on  their  axles,  still 
goes  by  that  name.  It  was  connected  by  other  roads 
to  the  head-waters  of  the  principal  settlements  of  Bal- 
timore County,  and  when  incoming  ships  had  no  cargo 
for  the  wharves  of  the  latter,  the  settlers'  tobacco  was 
sent  to  Elkridge  to  be  shipped  to  foreign  ports. 

But  of  the  ancient  commercial  centres  we  shall  speak 
in  another  chapter. 


Cl)aptcr  vii. 


BALTIMORE    COUNTY.  —  ANECDOTES.  —  DANIEL    DULANY. 
CAPT.   CHARLES   RIDGELY.  — THE   REV.   JOHN   COLE- 
MAN. —  REDEMPTIONERS    AND    CONVICTS. 
JEREMIAH    EATON'S   BEQUEST.  — THE 
MANOR    CHURCH.  —  AVEDDINGS 
IN    "YE    OLDEN    TIME." 
MARRIAGE  PORTIONS. 


* 


VII. 


ALTI]MC)RE,  like  Rome,  is  Ijuilt  on  niany 
hills,  and,  like  Rome,  it  had  its  Roniuhis, 
that  title  having  been  conferred  on  a 
physician  named  Stevenson,  avIio,  in  the 
third  decade  of  the  eighteenth  centnry, 
tirst  drew  attention  to  its  extraordinary  commercial 
advantages,  and  laid  the  corner-stone  of  its  prosperity 
by  his  foresight  and  enterprise.  And  as  Rome  is  more 
conspicuous  in  history  than  the  neighboring  ruins  of 
Veii,  and  the  Roman  people  than  tliL'  jiriiiiitive  Etrus- 
cans, so  Baltimore  and  its  citizens  are  better  knoMU 
than  Bushtown  and  the  early  settlers  along  the  banks 
of  the  Gunpowder  and  the  Pata])sco  Rivers ;  Ijut  just 
as  an  interesting  and  long-forgotten  civilization  prior 
to  that  of  Rome  has  been  revealed  by  excavations  in 
Etruria,  and  by  the  opening  of  its  tombs,  so  tin-  be- 
ginning of  Mar3land's  commerce,  and  the  earliest  indi- 
cations of  its  religious  life  are  to  be  found  l)y  exploring 
the  regions  traversed  by  the  time-honored  water-ways 
that  flow  by  the  feeding-grouiuls  of  the  blue-winged 
teal,  the  x-ed  head,  and  the  canvas-back. 

In  the   year   1683,  half  a  century  after  Lord  I'alti- 
more,  by  his  favorable  "conditions  of  plantation,"  had 


96  tl)C  #ID  Brirfe  Cl)urcljfs  of  ti;)arrlauD. 

tempted  his  first  colony  to  sow  the  seed  of  civihza- 
tion  in  this  wild  but  fertile  country,  Bidtimore  County 
extended  north  to  the  Pennsylvania  border,  and  east 
to  the  Susquehanna  River  and  the  head  waters  of  the 
bay,  while  its  western  limits  were  lost  in  a  wilderness 
of  unsettled  lands.  Roads  were  scarce  in  those  days, 
and  rivers  were  tlie  threads  upon  which  the  beads  of 
settlement  were  strung.  The  "  conditions  of  planta- 
tion," by  which  the  land  allowed  to  each  settler  was 
in  proportion  to  the  number  of  persons  he  brought 
with  him,  were  found  no  longer  necessary,  and  in 
1683  they  ceased  to  operate.  After  that,  land  was 
acquired  by  purchase,  and  ports  of  trade  were  estab- 
lished, so  that  commerce  became  a  factor  in  the  pros- 
perity of  the  people.  Until  then,  laiidholders  liad 
shipped  their  own  and  their  dependents'  grain  and 
tobacco  from  private  wharves,  receiving  the  luxuries 
of  life  in  return,  which  their  correspondents  in  Eng- 
land were  instructed  to  send,  as  opportunity  offered. 

The  establishment  of  these  "  ports  of  entr}',"  there- 
fore, marks  a  stage  in  the  development  of  the  province. 
They  were  indeed  doors  by  which  adventurers  of  every 
description  could  enter  for  gain.  Manj^  a  captain,  en- 
gaged in  the  merchant  service,  invested  his  little  savings 
in  the  improvement  of  town  lots,  —  notably  those  at 
Joppa,  on  the  Gunpowder,  now  covered  by  a  wheat 
field,  —  or  in  the  purchase  of  adjoining  tracts  which  be- 
came valuable  as  settlement  extended.  Forsaking  the 
precarious  calling  of  the  sea  for  the  more  lucrative  posi- 


t^aiurl  r^ulanv.  97 

tion  of  planter  or  iiK'rcliaut,  liis  prosperity  became  tlie 
signboard  which  directed  others  to  tliese  hospitable 
shores,  where  not  only  a  competency,  but  even  wealth, 
could  be  so  easily  attained.  Even  the  iiulentured  ser- 
vant, whose  master  allowed  him  a  bit  of  cleared  ground, 
employed  his  leisure  hours  in  planting  tobacco,  which 
enabled  him  to  add  his  hdgshead  to  the  cargo  shipped 
for  England  ;  ti\iglit  which,  like  Whittington's  cat,  be- 
came the  foundation  of  a  fortune. 

The  motto  "To  live  and  let  live"  was  quite  as 
applicable  to  the  ]\Iarylander  of  those  davs  as  the  l)et- 
ter  known  motto  of  tlie  Lords  Baltimore,  "  Manly  deeds 
and  womanly  words."  Many  an  anecdote  is  preserved, 
proving  the  kindness  of  masters  to  their  indentured 
servants.  One  of  these  will  be  a  sufficient  example. 
A  youth  named  Daniel  Dulany  was  discovered  one  day 
poring  over  a  Latin  grammar  by  his  master,  "Walter 
Smith,  a  lawyer  of  Anne  Arundel  County,  who,  finding 
him  to  be  a  man  of  some  education,  promoted  him  from 
a  menial  position  to  a  place  in  his  office,  and  there  made 
of  him  a  lawyer.  To  prove  that  Dulan}-  attained  suc- 
cess in  the  profession,  it  is  only  necessary  to  state 
that  he  took  up  five  thousand  acres  of  land  in  Balti- 
more County  in  what  was  then  known  as  the  "Valley 
of  Jeho.shaphat,"  but  is  now  called  "Dulany's  Valley." 

The  "  oldest  inhabitant,"  though  not  always  an  in- 
fallible guide  on  the  road  to  fact,  is  nevertheless  a 
verv  entertaining  chronicler.  To  this  time-honored  per- 
sonage the  present  writer  is  indebted  for  several  anec- 


98  tiic  »©ID  Bricfe  Cljurclics  of  3!9arplanD. 

dotes  transmitted  to  him  by  liis  grandmother,  the  wife 
of  Parson  Coleman,  rector,  at  different  times,  of  each  of 
the  oldest  churches  now  standing-  in  Baltimore  County. 
Tliis  lady,  before  her  marriage,  when  she  was  Pleasance 
Goodwin,  passed  much  of  her  time  with  her  uncle. 
Captain  Charles  Ridgely,  and  his  wife,  Rebecca,  at 
their  home,  overlooking  Dulany's  Valley.  As  the  coun- 
trymen often  brought  their  grain  from  a  distance  to 
Ridgely's  mill,  he  frequently  invited  them  to  his  home, 
where  the  early  evening  meal  awaited  them. 

On  one  of  these  occasions,  when  they  were  all 
seated  at  table,  he  asked  his  rustic  friend  what  he 
would  have  to  eat.  "  Mush,"  was  the  laconic  reply. 
"  Then  lielp  yourself,"  said  the  Captain,  with  a  wave 
of  tlie  hand  toward  the  capacious  disli  of  nnish  set 
before  him,  with  the  large-bowled,  long-handled  silver 
spoon  wherewith  to  serve  it.  The  guest,  taking  tlie 
invitation  literally,  proceeded  to  feed  himself  from  the 
dish  with  the  spoon,  which  severely  tested  the  capa- 
city of  his  mouth.  Rebecca,  the  prim  hostess,  cast  a 
horrified  glance  at  her  husband,  while  the  young  peo- 
ple tittered ;  but  the  Captain,  frowning  upon  the  rude- 
ness of  liis  nieces,  rather  than  upon  tlie  ignorance  of 
his  guest,  tried  to  turn  the  conversation  into  channels 
calculated  to  divert  attention  and  to  keep  Rusticus 
from  a  mortifying  sense  of  his  blunder. 

Supper,  in  those  days,  was  an  informal  meal, 
like  breakfast  in  modern  English  country  houses, 
where    servants    are    often    dispensed    with.      Of  these, 


Captain  Cljarlcs  UiDgrlv.  99 

there  was  no  lack  in  Captain  Ridgely's  household, 
for  the  minibcr  ol'  his  slaves  was  proverbial.  He  did 
not  even  know  tlieni  all  by  sight,  as  the  following 
anecdote  proves:  One  day,  while  riding  along  the 
road,  he  met  a  ragged  negro,  and  asked  him  to  whom 
he  belonged.  "  To  Cap'n  Kidgel}',  sar,"  answered  the 
darky,  grinning  from  ear  to  ear,  and  pulling  his 
forelock  as  if  it  were  a  Ijell-rope  sunnuoning  his  wits 
to  the  door  of  his  brain. 

"  Tell  the  overseer  that  Captain  Kidgely  wishes  to 
see  liini  at  once."  With  another  grin,  another  tng, 
and  a  "Yes,  marsa,"  the  slave  shot  off  on  liis  ciTMnd. 
^^'hen  the  overseer  arrived,  he  was  severely  berated 
for  not  keeping  his  slaves  better  clothed,  as  means 
were  provided  for  him  to  do.  Another  story  is 
told  of  the  Captain  in  reference  to  his  teamster,  a 
white  slave  named  Martin,  who,  for  some  misde- 
meanor, was  made  to  wear  an  iron  collar.  Twice 
had  he  managed  to  get  riil  of  it,  wlicn  tiie  Captain 
said  that  he  wouM  not  have  it  pnt  on  again,  if  Martin 
would  tell  how  he  accomplished  the  feat.  This  he 
ao-reed  to  do,  savintj,  "Well,  I  fastened  one  end  of  a 
chain  to  the  back  of  the  collar,  and  t'  other  end  to 
the  gate-post ;  then  I  fa.stened  another  chain  to  the 
front  of  the  collar,  ami  t'otlier  end  to  my  team.  Then 
saying,  'Break  neck  or  lircak  collar,'  I  cracked  my 
whip,  and  the  mules  pnlled,  and  the  collar  broke." 
The  Captain  kept  his  promise,  and  as  Martin's  descend- 
ants   now    own    land    in    Harford   County,  where  Cap- 


100  tl)e  ©in  liBrich  Ctjurcljcs  of  tT^arDlauD. 

tain  Ridgely  was  a  large  proprietor,  it  may  he  possible 
that  lie  was  so  well  pleased  with  the  man's  pluck  that 
he  gave  him  land  when  his  term  of  servitude  expired. 

Convicts  sold  by  the  captain  of  the  ship  that  brought 
them  over  were  not  slaves  for  life,  any  more  than  the 
"  Redemptioners,"  who  merely  worked  out  their  passage 
money,  and  were  often  men  of  high  character  and  good 
education.  Among  old  bills  of  lading  have  been  found 
mention  of  a  certain  number  of  convicts  and  a  certain 
number  of  wigs.  These  niay  have  been  donned  to 
suit  the  character  they  wished  to  personate,  or  to  avoid 
recognition  by  a  former  witness  of  their  transgres- 
sions. These  convicts  were  sometimes  driven  through 
the  country  in  gangs,  to  be  sold  to  the  planters. 
The  agent  having  them  in  charge  was  called  a  "  soul 
driver." 

An  amusing  story  is  told  of  an  Irishman,  who,  being 
the  last  of  such  a  gang,  stopped  at  a  waj'side  inn  witli 
his  keeper,  and  rising  early  the  next  morning,  closed  a 
bargain  with  the  landlord  for  the  other,  whom  he  rep- 
resented to  be  a  good  servant,  though  a  most  plausible 
"  lyar,"  often  assuming  to  be  the  master.  Pocketing  the 
money,  the  convict  walked  oflP,  leaving  the  soul  driver 
to  swear  at  his  cunning. 

Of  these  convicts,  twent}^  thousand  came  to  this  coun- 
try before  the  Revolution,  but  they  were  by  no  means 
vile  in  all  cases,  at  a  time  when  religious  and  political 
offences  were  punished  witli  banishment. 

In  1790,  when  Captain  Ridgely  was  building  "Hamp- 


d:t)r   Uru.  3;olju  Colcmau.  lol 

ton  House,"  liis  worknieu  ((uit  work  every  duv  at  tour 
o'clock,  for  tear  of  the  wohes  that  infested  the  \\a\-  to 
Uahiinore  Town  after  (hu"k.  When  tlie  house  was  com- 
pleted, ^[rs.  liidgely,  wlio  was  a  devout  Methodist, 
wished  to  have  a  religious  house- warming.  Tlie  t"aj)- 
tain  agreed,  with  the  proviso  that  the  Rev.  John  Cole- 
man, of  the  Episcopal  church,  should  deliver  the 
opening  address,  after  which  "  she  might  have  all  the 
praying  and  shouting  she  pleased." 

The  joint  j)rogrannne  was  carried  out,  with  the  addi- 
tion of  a  card  party  in  an  upper  room,  where  steaming 
punch  cheered  the  representatives  of  unregenerate  man, 
while  their  better  halves  imbibed  another  kind  of  spirit- 
ual refreshment  below. 

To  the  we.st  of  Dulanv's  Valley  lies  the  great  Lime- 
stone  Basin,  where  the  celebrated  Beaver  Dam  ]\Iarble 
Quarries  are  to  be  found.  Witli  this  region,  and  witli 
Green  Spring  Valley  beyond,  have  been  associated 
fr(nn  time  immemorial  the  names  of  Cockey,  Owings, 
Yellott,  Hutchins,  Croxal,  Buchanan,  Stevenson,  Merry- 
man,  Cromwell,  and  ^loale.  <  >ld  .To.shua  Ilutchins  was 
a  staiu'h  friend  of  the  Rev.  John  Coleman,  and  about 
the  time  of  that  "religious  house-warming"  he  silenced 
some  malicious  whispers  injin-ious  to  the  j)arson's  repu- 
tation, by  threatening  to  cowhide  the  inventor. 

The  mad  pranks  of  youthtul  ''  Cockey-Dye-Owingses  " 
are  the  subject  of  many  tales.  The  bewitching  damsels 
of  this  clan  had  many  aspirants  to  their  favor.  One 
cavalier   came  mounted   on   a    fine   black    charger,   1)ut 


102  t\)c  #ID  XBritfe  CljurcljfS  of  a9arplanli. 

he  stayed  too  long  at  this  lively  mansion,  and  when 
at  last  he  ordered  his  liorse  to  the  door,  its  coat  had 
turned  as  white  as  whitewash  could  make  it.  The 
saddest  part  of  the  joke  was  that  the  work  had  been 
done  by  the  charmer  upon  whom  he  had  lavished  most 
attention,  and  upon  whom  lie  flattered  himself  he  had 
made  a  favorable  impression. 

On  another  occasion,  one  of  the  sisters  threw  her 
suitor's  Jiat  into  the  fire,  and  he  retaliated  by  sending 
her  bonnet  after  it.  As  a  natural  sequel,  this  Petruchio 
won  his  Katherine. 

Very  different  from  this  branch  of  the  family  were 
the  Owings  of  Owings'  Mills,  Green  Spring  Valley, 
who  attended  St.  Thomas'  Church.  Of  Samuel,  it  is 
said  that  lie  was  a  gentleman  who  brought  up  his 
boys  after  the  pattern  of  himself,  teaching  them  to 
ride  as  soon  as  they  could  sit  upon  a  horse,  and  to 
shoot  as  soon  as  they  could  hnndle  a  gun.  Tlie 
daugliters  were  brought  up  by  their  mother,  Ruth, 
to  be  good  housewives,  and  their  home  was  the  scene 
of  many  a  festivity,  when  the  brewing  and  the  baking- 
had  been  done  by  their  fair  hands.  Samuel's  sisters 
were  married  to  Peter  Hoffman,  Dr.  John  Cromwell, 
Thomas  Moale,  Robert  Moale,  James  Winchester, 
George  Winchester,  and  Richard  Cromwell,  all  names 
of  local  significance,  some  of  which  are  to  be  found 
in  St.  Thomas'  Graveyard.  The  Cockeys,  living  on 
the  old  place  called  Garrison,  are  descendants  of 
Samuel  and  Ruth  Owings,  and  retain  the  character- 
istics of  the  Owings  race. 


Jrrrimal)  diton's  13r(iufst.  io;3 

The  ports  of  entry  in  Baltimore  County  tliat  played 
the  most  important  part  in  the  growth  of  its  commerce 
were  respectively  on  the  Patapsco,  near  Humphrey's 
Creek,  hclow  the  jjreseiit  city  of  Baltimore;  on  the 
Gunpowder,  above  some  of  the  best-known  <liickin^- 
shores  of  modern  times:  on  tiie  Bush,  where  there  was 
a  court-house  in  1684;  and  on  Spesutia  Creek,  which, 
near  the  mouth  of  the  Susquehanna,  separated  S})esutia 
Island  I'ntni  tiie  niaiidand.  Between  the  latter  port 
and  the  Bush  River  settlement  lay  Stokely  i\Ianor,  an 
estate  of  Hve  hundred  and  fifty  acres,  which  in  1G75 
had  been  de\ised  by  Jeremiah  Eaton  to  the  first  Prot- 
estant minister  wlio  should  settle  in  tlie  county,  and 
to  his  successors.  A  church  had  been  buih  there,  and 
in  lf!83  the  Rev.  John  Yeo  —  an  Isaiah  of  the  English 
Church,  whose  denunciations  of  the  innnoralitv  and 
impiety  of  the  people  of  Maryland  are  recorded  in  a 
letter  written  by  him  to  England  in  1G76  —  bought 
land  in  the  county,  and  became  the  minister,  not  only 
of  this  locality,  known  later  as  Spesutia,  or  St.  George's 
Parish,  but  of  Gunpowder  and  Patapsco  Hundreds  also. 

The  port  of  entry  on  the  Gunpowder,  which  had 
taken  the  name  of  Joppa,  succeeded  Bush  as  the  c(nuit\ 
seat  sometime  between  the  years  1712  and  17lM.  prob- 
ably before  1719,  when  we  find  Stokel}'  Manor  given 
by  Act  of  Assembly  to  the  parish  of  St.  John's,  the 
church  of  Gunpowder  Hundred  in  the  promising  town 
of  Joppa.  The  establishment  of  the  Church  of  p]ng- 
land  had,  meantime,  been  accomplished,  and  vestrymen 


104  t\)t  ©la  llBrtch  Cl)uirl)fS  of  a5arplanD. 

were  among  the  important  officers  of  tlie  State.  Per- 
sons of  respectability  of  any  denomination  could  per- 
form tlie  coveted  duty  of  making  others  walk  straight, 
so  long  as  they  were  duly  elected,  and  had  subscribed  to 
the  oaths  required.  Most  Protestant  sects  could  do  this 
with  a  good  conscience,  and  as  vestrj^men,  they  were 
enabled  to  preserve  an  equilil)rium  in  the  form  of  wor- 
ship forced  upon  them,  and  thus  to  guard  against  its 
tottering  into  the  abyss  of  priestcraft  and  papacy,  of 
which  they  lived  in  perpetual  dread.  As  there  were 
no  Lords  Bishops  to  fear  on  this  side  of  the  water,  the 
mixed  Protestant  body,  which  composed  three-fourths  of 
the  whole  population,  came  back  without  much  struggle 
to  the  church  of  their  fathers.  It  is  true  that  when  an 
unworthy  rector  was  forced  upon  them,  the  poll-tax  of 
forty  pounds  of  tobacco  levied  for  his  support  was  hard 
to  collect,  but  in  Baltimore  County  tliere  were  few  such 
men,  and  in  the  history  of  the  two  old  brick  churches 
which  we  are  about  to  introduce  to  the  reader  as  cen- 
tres around  which  revolved  the  life  of  the  people,  it 
is  noteworthy  that  the  |)roverbial  "  monster  of  deprav- 
ity "  was  conspicuously  absent.  These  two  churches 
are  the  oldest  representatives  existing  of  the  original 
parishes  of  St.  John's  and  St.  Paul's  lying  in  Gunpowder 
and  Patapsco  Hundreds,  and  are  known  as  St.  James' 
and  St.  Thomas'. 

Under  date  of  Aug.  7th,  18.'")0,  we  find  that  the  vestry 
of  St.  John's  Parish  took  into  consideration  the  erection 
of  a  "Chapel  of  Ease"  in  the  forks  of  the  Grunpowder, 


CaortljifS  of  fe>t.  3f,ol)n's  pansl;.  105 

and  appointed  the  Rev.  IT.  Deans,  the  rector,  and 
M  alter  Tollev,  a  vestryman,  to  solicit  subscriptions 
tor  the  purpose.  As  these  proved  insufficient,  the 
General  Assembly  passed  an  act  empowering'  the  jus- 
tices of  the  county  to  assess  and  levy  three  hundred 
pounds  on  the  inhabitants  of  St.  John's  Parish  for 
the  purchase  of  one  acre  of  land  in  the  forks  of 
the  Gunpowder,  upon  which  to  build  a  Chapel  of  Ease- 
The  names  of  these  vestr3-men  were  Nicholas  Rnxton 
Gay,  John  Hughes,  John  Merryman,  and  Thomas  Git- 
tings,  Avhose  descendants  would  find  little  difficnltv  in 
being  admitted  into  the  many  societies  now  existing 
throughout  the  country  for  the  establishment  of  ioi 
aristocracy.  These  plain,  unassuming,  yet  hospitable 
worthies,  however,  drew  no  visible  line  between  the 
countryman  from  the  rolling  ujdands,  who  brought  his 
corn  or  wheat  either  in  trade  or  to  be  ground  at  the  mill 
of  his  wealthier  neighbor,  and  the  distinguished  guest 
from  the  old  country,  wlio  marvelled  at  and  admired, 
but  seldoui  criticised,  the  strange  ways  of  this  vigorous 
young  country.  Much  has  been  said  of  the  old  Cava- 
liers of  Maryland,  but  very  little  of  the  Puritans,  wlio 
settled  in  the  province  as  early  as  1649,  when  Vir- 
ginia drove  them  beyond  her  border.  In  17o3,  how- 
ever, when  St.  James'  was  built,  there  was  no  longer 
either  Cavalier  or  Puritan  in  the  province,  but  their 
characteristics  were  blended  in  a  homogeneous  people, 
who,  by  the  time  we  were  readv  to  become  an  inde- 
pendent nation,  spoke  the  mother   tongue  with   a   uni- 


106 


t[)e  ©10  ISrtch  Cl)urc|)cs*  of  ^ar^jlanD. 


formity  of  accent  and  a  softness  and  pui'ity  of  expression 
not  to  be  found  aniony  tlie  rural  inliabitants  of  England, 
where  each  shire  had  a  dialect  of  its  own.  William 
Eddes,  Collector  of  Customs  at  Annapolis  when  the 
Revolution  first  broke  out,  connnents  ujjon   this  surpris- 


ing fact. 


Tlie  records  of  the  Chapel  of  St.  James  give  us  an 
insight  into  the  status  of  ottice-holders  at  that  dav,  for 


St.  James',  or  the  Manor  Ohurch. 


we  find  that  in  1769  Daniel  Chamier,  county  sheriff, 
was  also  sexton  of  the  cln^rch  ;  the  man  thus  conferring 
honor  on  the  office,  rather  than  the  office  on  the  man,  — 
a  lesson  that  might  be  taught  with  good  effect  to-day. 

The  Chapel  of  St.  James  was  erected   on  a  corner  of 
what  is  still  called  "  My  Lady's  Manor,"  and  is  known 


t\)t  il3anoi-  Cl)urcl;.  107 

as  tlie  "  Manor  Church."     It  stands  on  a  hill  overlookinj,'- 
a  beautiful  country  wliirh  is  one  of  the  great  agricul- 
tural districts  of  the  county.     The  ancient  high-road  to 
Pennsylvania,  called  the  old  York  Road,  i)asses  through 
this  region,  —  a  significant   fact  in    the    history   of  the 
early  settlers,  a  sturdy  class  of  English  yoenianry,  many 
of  whom  emigrated    first   to    Pennsylvania,  hut   being 
attracted  by  the  greater  fertility  of  Maryland,  crossed 
the  border  and   took  up   farms  along  the  head  waters 
of  the  Gunpowder  and  the   Ihish.     In  many  cases  the 
ponderous,  white-topped  Conestoga  wagons  were  ixsed 
by  these  emigrants,  —  wagons  which  in  a  modified  form 
are  still  to  be  seen  slowly  wending  their  way  along  the 
limestone  high-road  above  Towson,  the  present  county 
town.     With  their   blue  bodies,   red   running-gear,   and 
white  hoods  gathered  by  a  cord  in  the  back,  they  are 
quite  as   picturesque  as  the  canvas-covered  and  parti- 
colored row-boats  that  glide  along  the  shining  waters  of 
Lake  Como  under  an  "Italian  sky,"—  a  sky  in  reality 
no  more  l)eautiful  than  the  skies  of  Maryland.      Even  as 
late  as  the  beginning  nf  llic   pi-esent  century,  rarriages 
were  little   used   by  the   rural    population.      Everybody 
rode  on  horseback,  unless  too  feeble  or  infiim  to  do  so, 
when  carts,   unadorned  by  the  prefix   "T"  or  "Dog," 
came  into  plav  ;  and  even  farm- wagons  were  often  used 
to  take  their  owners  to  church  on  Sunday. 

One  fiimily,  indeed,  was  known  to  arrive  at  St.  James' 
in  a  carriage,  —  an  odd  vehicle  bought  from  a  Quaker, 
who  had  it  made  with  the  door  in  the  rear,  for  escape 


108  tl)c  *©Hj  5l5ntfe  Cljurcljcs  of  iij9aiTlanD. 

in  case  of  accident.  The  rector,  Rev.  ]\Ir.  Coleman,  had 
a  carriage  also ;  for  lie  had  to  drive  twelve  miles  to 
church  from  his  home  in  Harford,  the  Bushtown  of 
"  lang  syne." 

This  old  church  is  a  striking-  object  on  the  hill-tdp, 
and  still  retains  its  venerable  appearance,  in  spite  of 
later  additions  and  preservative  paint.  Less  than  ten 
years  after  its  erection  it  liad  to  be  enlarged  to  accom- 
modate the  rapidly  increasing  population  ;  for  the  Estalj- 
lished  Church  was  officially  the  only  one  to  welcome 
the  emigrants,  no  matter  to  what  denomination  they 
had  belonged.  The  first  addition  represents  the  nave, 
and  the  original  structure  the  transept.  The  tower  over 
the  vestibule  is  modern,  although  built  of  the  brick 
taken  from  the  old  vestry-house,  —  a  Ijuilding  of  great 
importance  in  a  day  when  it  served  as  court-room  for 
the  vestry,  and  refectory  for  the  congregation  coming 
from  a  distance.  The  present  vestry-room  is  in  the 
apsidal  chancel  of  the  original  building,  opening  into 
the  church  by  a  doorway  in  the  east  transept.  The 
outline  of  the  chancel  arch  is  to  be  distinguished  by  a 
crack  in  the  plaster  over  tlie  doorway,  which  is  hidden 
by  a  curtain.  An  old  English  custom  prevails  in  the 
church  by  which  the  man  aspiring  to  matrimony  has 
to  pass  through  the  vestry-room  on  his  way  to  the 
chancel.  Until  very  lately,  weddings  at  St.  James'  had 
a  spice  of  adventure  about  them  from  the  fact  that  the 
impatient  bridegroom  was  obliged  to  climb  through  one 
of  the  deep  embrasured  windows  of  the  original  chancel 


CClfDDinss  m  "  gc  €>lDrn   fftmr."  lu9 

before  issuing  from  tliu  vestry-room  to  claiin  his  bride-, 
thereby  running  tlic  risk  of  ajjpearing  bc-luic  tlie  expec- 
tant guests  and  at  the  side  of  the  inmiacuhitu  fair  one 
with  soiled  knees  and  torn  raiment.  The  present  in- 
cumbent of  St.  James',  however,  has  mercifully  pro- 
vided against  this  contingency  by  having  a  door  sub- 
stituted for  one  of  the  windows,  and  steps  added,  bv 
which  the  usually  nervous  swain  may  enter  without 
loss  of  dignity.  In  olden  times  the  marriage  ceremony 
was  invariably  performed  at  home.  The  guests  assem- 
bled early  in  the  evening  to  partake  of  tea  and  refresh- 
ments, and  after  the  knot  was  tied  and  congratulations 
offered,  dancing  and  cards  amused  the  company  till  a  late 
hour,  when  they  were  regaled  with  an  elegant  supjier, 
followed  by  the  cheerful  glass  and  the  convivial  song. 

In  this  localit}',  however,  where  the  people  took  their 
Christian  names  from  the  Bible,  and  their  ideas  from  the 
Puritans,  there  was  a  slight  variation  in  the  program. 
After  the  mai-riage  ceremony,  the  Ijridal  party  was  often 
conveyed  in  a  farm  wagon,  garlanded  with  flowers  or 
evergreens,  to  the  house  of  the  nearest  relative,  where, 
although  cards  and  dancing  were  prohibited,  the  hos- 
pitable board  groaned  beneath  the  Aveight  of  good 
things,  and  cider  or  other  home-made  beverages  flowed 
freely.  At  a  late  hour  the  happy  pair  were  escorted  to 
their  new  home,  and  the  rest  of  the  party  found  hos- 
pitality with  their  entertainers  for  the  night.  The  wed- 
ding festivities  often  lasted  several  day.s,  during  which 
the  farm   wagon   was   employed  to    convey  the   bridal 


110  tl)C  ©ID  Wtick  €l)xiv(l)c$  of  S|9aivlanD. 

party  from  place  to  place  ;  for  not  until  every  one  had 
entertained  them  were  the  bride  and  groom  allowed  to 
settle  down,  the  man  to  the  work  of  his  farm,  the  woman 
to  that  of  her  household. 

In  most  houses  tliere  was  a  large  room  where  a  loom 
was  set  up.  The  wool,  after  being  carded  at  the  nearest 
fulling  mill,  —  several  of  which  are  still  standing,  —  was 
distributed,  in  what  looked  like  thick  loose  lengths  of 
rope,  to  the  laborers'  wives,  who  took  it  to  their  cabins 
to  spin  ;  after  which  the  young  women  of  the  house- 
hold wove  it  on  a  warp  of  linen  or  cotton  thread.  Negro 
labor  in  this  locality  was  confined  to  the  fields,  and 
even  then  principally  to  large  estates ;  for  the  thrifty 
yeoman  settlers  had  large  families,  who  were  not  allowed 
to  sit  with  folded  hands,  thus  fulfilling  the  prophecy  of 
a  quaint  old  writer  named  Hammond,  who  in  1656  pub- 
lished a  pamphlet  upon  Maryland  and  Virginia,  in  which 
he  says,  "  Children  increase  and  thrive  so  well  there, 
that  they  will  sufficiently  supply  the  place  of  servants, 
and  in  a  small  time  become  a  nation  sufficient  to  people 
the  country."  Further  evidence  of  the  large  families  of 
that  time  is  found  in  the  f)ld  graveyard  of  St.  James'. 
One  stone  records  the  fact  that  "  Kezia,  wife  of  Isaac 
Hooper,"  was  the  mother  of  "  Seven  sons  and  three 
dauofhters,"  the  number  of  sons  being  written  with  a 
capital  S,  while  that  of  the  daughters  appears  with  a  very 
small  t,  —  in  token,  perhaps,  of  the  estimate  placed  upon 
the  two  sexes  by  this  ]\Iai-yland  Job.  We  have  reason 
to  hope  that  he,  like  Job,  "  gave  them  inheritance  among 


tParriagr  portions.  Ill 

their  brethren;"  for  the  chronicle  just  quoted  says: 
"  B^ew  tliere  are  but  are  able  to  give  j)ortions  with  their 
daughters,  more  or  less,  according  to  their  abilities,  so 
that  many  coming  out  of  England  have  raised  thenj- 
selves  good  fortunes  there,  by  matching  maidens  born 
in  the  country,"  —  alucky  enduwinLiit  for  these  maidens, 
whose  portraits  show  that  they  were  not  favored  with 
the  gift  of  beauty.  In  later  years  this  order  has  liecii 
reversed,  for  many  a  damsel  who  could  only  say,  "  My 
face  is  my  fortune,"  has  been  borne  away  from  home- 
spun ^Maryland  by  the  lords  of  the  "  almighty  dollar." 

T\\<t  tombstones  in  St.  James'  churchyard  bear  the 
name  of  Mather,  —  so  distinguished  in  the  early  history 
of  New  England.  "John  Mather"  departed  tliis  lifi 
"October  ye  2nd,  ITTij"  •'Elizabeth,"  his  wife,  fol- 
lowed him,  "June  ye  3rd,  177G," — thus  just  missing 
the  privilege  of  becoming  American  citizens.  John  is 
made  to  say  on  his  stone  :  — 

My  pilgrimage  I  run  apace 

My  resting  place  is  liere  : 

This  stone  was  got  to  keep  the  spot, 

Least  man  should  dig  too  near. 

Elizabeth's  more  spiritual  nature  claims  a  higher  des- 
tiny ;  not  content  with  the  mere  rest  in  the  grave,  she 
says  :  — 

A  resurrection  with  the  just 

I  hope  for,  though  I  sleep  in  dust. 


112  t[)c  ©ID  ll5i  itk  Cl)urtl)cs  of  sparv'lanD. 

The  tombstones  of  St.  James'  form  an  interesting-  link 
with  lieroic  times,  recording-  the  virtues  of  many  who 
fought  for  their  country's  independence,  or  later  for 
her  defence,  when  Baltimore  was  threatened  with  Britlsli 
invasion  in  1814.  These  brave  men  were  also  true 
gentlemen,  characterized  by  dignity  and  simplicity  of 
manner,  and  great  integrity  of  character.  Their  good 
hearts  and  sound  heads  made  them  the  advisers  and 
confidants  of  their  poorer  neighbors,  and  they  were 
often  the  arbiters  of  judicial  questions.  The  descend- 
ants of  these  men  retain  in  man}'  instances  their 
Biblical  names  and  their  most  striking  characteristics, 
which  have  been  strengthened  by  inheritance  and  by 
honored  tradition.  Some  of  them  own  still  the  In'oad 
acres  of  their  ancestors,  renting  them  on  shares,  from 
which  they  derive  little  profit ;  but  the  population  of 
these  localities  is  naturally  sparse,  not  only  from  the 
large  proprietorship  of  individuals,  but  from  the  fact 
that  patriarchal  ideas  are  inconsistent  with  modern 
progress,  and  the  younger  generation  wish  to  build 
their  own  fortunes  in  their  own  wa}^,  seeking  for  this 
purpose  the  centres  of  trade  and  education.  If  it  be 
true  that  population  regulates  the  power  and  pros- 
perity of  the  State,  we  must  admit  that  the  prosperity 
of  this  portion  of  it  is  on  the  wane. 


Cl)aptcr  VI IT. 

liAI/riMOllK    COLNTY,   Cu-Miniki).  —  OLDTON'S    GAUKISON. 
ST.  TII()MA.S'  OK  GAKHISON   FOREST  CIIUUCII.  — TIIK 

iioWAiiDS. -  Tin;   i;i;v.    tuomas  citAixKK 

SCIIOOLMASTKKS   IX   -YE   OLDEX   TIME." 

A   TAX   OX   BACHELORS.  — THE    REV. 

DR.  COKE  AXD  THE  .METHODISTS. 

ST.  THOMAS'  CHURCHYARD.— A 

LIST  OF    THE  ()i;i(;iXAI.  RAU- 

ISHES   ox    THE    WESTERX 

SHORE    OF    THE 

CHESAPEAKE. 


$ 


o 

m 

3 

< 
o 

a 
o 


Mil. 


T  is  Lard  tit  decide  whether  '' (larrisoii 
Forest  Chureli"' — also  known  as  8t. 
Thomas',  which  stands  about  hnirteen 
miles  west  ot"  St.  James'  —  be  more  in- 
teresting- from  the  historical  as.sociations 
which  gave  it  its  name,  or  from  the  many  traditions 
preserved  b}-  the  "  oldest  inhabitant."  We  shall  there- 
fore blend  history  and  anecdote  in  this  nan-ative. 

An  order  was  given  in  161)2  by  his  Majesty's  Council 
for  the  erection  of  three  forts  on  the  frontier,  —  one  to 
be  in  Baltimore  County  ;  and  there  is  little  doubt  that 
one  was  within  a  few  miles  of  the  site  of  the  church. 
This  measure  of  defence  was  taken  in  consequence  of 
occasional  trouble  with  the  Indians,  and  the  "•rowini;- 
apprehension  of  more  general  hostilities. 

One  case  on  record  is  that  of  an  Englishman  named 
Enoch,  who,  while  at  work  in  the  field,  Avas  attacked  by 
the  brother  of  an  Indian  whom  he  had  killed  in  some 
altercation.  The  settler's  wife  rushed  to  the  rescue,  and 
proved  herself  a  champion  so  sturdy  that  the  Indian  fell 
with  a  bi'oken  skull.  She  then,  with  equal  skill,  bound 
up  his  wounds,  and  bade  him  depart  in  peace  ;  but  the 
following  dav  he   returned  with  another  Indian,   and, 


116  t^t  ©ID  Wiicii  Cf)urcl)cs  of  jpsarplanD. 

eluding  the  brave  woman,  they  killed  the  man  and 
made  their  escape.  They  were  known  by  the  names 
"Annacohil,"  or  "White  Indian,"  and  "  Sonan,"  called 
in  English,  "James,"  and  belonged  to  tlie  tribe  of  Nanti- 
cokes,  whose  "emperor,  "  on  being  summoned  to  deliver 
them  up  to  justice,  disclaimed  all  knowledge  of  their 
hiding-place.  Tliey  were  reported  to  be  at  Deer  Creek, 
in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  county,  waiting  for  the 
tree  bark  to  peel,  in  order  to  make  canoes  by  which  to 
escape  across  the  Susquehanna  to  the  Hostile  Tribes. 
The  Nanticokes,  Piscataways,  and  Coptank  Indians 
were  friendly  to  the  English,  and  had  their  "  Reserva- 
tions "  in  Maryland.  They  sent  each  year  to  the  court 
of  St.  James  two  bows  and  arrows  as  a  tribute  of  good 
will  to  the  King. 

Each  fort  was  to  be  manned  by  a  captain,  nine  sol- 
diers, and  four  Indians,  who  were  required  to  hunt  and 
fish  in  order  to  supply  the  garrison  witli  food.  The 
emperor  of  each  tribe  was  to  furnish  a  certain  quota. 
The  great  number  of  stone  arrowheads,  slender  and 
jagged,  which  are  still  found  throughout  this  region, 
shows  that  here  were  their  hunting-grounds.  Owing  to 
some  confusion  arising  from  the  government  passing  out 
of  the  hands  of  the  Proprietary  into  those  of  William 
and  Marv,  there  is  a  break  in  the  "Journal  of  Council 
Proceedings,"  and  it  is  not  known  at  what  time  the 
order  for  the  erection  of  the  forts  was  carried  out,  though 
a  conjecture  is  afforded  by  the  following  receipt  given 
by  Captain  John  Thomas  :  — 


©iDton's  Sarnsoii.  117 

Aagust  20tli,  1GU4. 

Received  of  Nicholas  Greenberry  by  order  of  his  Excellency 
for  the  use  of  the  rangers  of  Baltimore  County,  when  they  shall 
be  recjuired  to  range  out  on  public  service  for  (lie  better  dis- 
covery of  any  appruaeliing  enemy  making  inroads  into  the 
Province  of  Maryland,  which  is  as  follows,  viz  —  2  Holy  Bibles, 
2  I)ooks  of  the  whole  duty  of  man,  2  books  of  Catechism,  and 
one  book  with  a  brief  discourse  concerning  the  worshijiping 
of  God  ;  also  one  lanthorn,  1  brass  compass,  one  iierspcctive 
glass.  All  which  instruments  are  to  be  converted  to  the  proper 
usages  as  aforesaid,  1  say  reed,  the  day  and  year  abovesaid 
]ir  me,  JoHN  Thomas. 

In  1G96  John  Oklton  was  coinniander  of  the  rangers 
of  Baltimore  County,  and  lie  handed  in  at  that  time  an 
account  of  tlie  roads  made  by  his  rangers  "  baek  of  the 
inhabitants."  They  extended  "  N.  E.  from  tlie  Gar- 
rison to  the  first  cabbin  If)  miles,  and  N.  E.  to  the 
second  caljbin  1.")  miles,  or  thereabouts,  thence  10  miles 
further  on  the  same  course  to  anotlier  cabbin  on  the 
Nortli  side  of  Deer  Creek;  likewise  from  tlie  Garrison  to 
a  cabbin  between  Judwin's  Falls  and  the  nunn  falls  of 
the  Patapseo,  a  west  course  10  miles,  etc."  This  account 
shows  plainly  where  the  garrison  was  situated.  Some 
enthusiastic  members  of  the  Baltimore  Historical  Society 
have  gone  so  far  as  tn  point  out  the  fort  itself  on  a 
part  of  an  estate  called  from  time  immemorial  "  Garri- 
son." It  is  now  nseil  as  a  farm  Ituilding.  ami  sviseacres 
among  tlic  farmers  say  tliat  it  cannot  br  tlic  old  fort 
because  the  stones  are  put  together  with  mortar  instead 
of  clav,  which  at  that  time  was  always  used  ;  and,  more- 


118  t^t  Mn  5lBrtcfe  CljurctjfS  of  gpar^lanD. 

over,  they  declare  that  the  openings  in  the  wall,  which 
to  the  eye  of  historical  research  mean  places  for  cannon, 
are  simply  avenues  of  light  and  ventilation  employed  by 
their  grandfathers  in  similar  structures  before  the  intro- 
duction of  window-sashes.  But  there  is  no  disputing 
the  fact  that  there  was  a  fort  on  the  estate  of  Garrison, 
and  a  settlement  near  by,  which,  in  1741,  had  assumed 
such  proportions  that  the  Rev.  Benedict  Bourdillon  of 
the  town  parish  of  St.  Paul's  proposed  to  his  vestrymen 
to  raise  by  subscription  a  fund  for  the  erection  of  a 
Chapel  of  Ease  for  the  "  forest  inhabitants." 

The  list  of  subscribers  is  headed  by  the  Rev.  Bene- 
dict himself,  who  contributed  more  tobacco  than  all 
the  others  put  together.  It  includes  also  such  names 
as  William  Hammond,  who  in  1728  had  been  appointed 
one  of  the  commissioners  to  lay  out  Baltimore  town  ; 
Charles  Ridgely,  one  of  his  Majesty's  justices  ;  Darby 
Lux,  after  whom  a  street  was  named ;  and  the  Gists,  who 
were  prominent  both  in  town  and  county  affairs. 

Among  the  tombstones  surrounding  the  cluirch  are 
several  bearing  the  names  of  men  associated  with  the 
early  history  of  Baltimore,  —  such  as  Walker,  Moale, 
North,  Philpot,  and  Gist ;  and  the  records  of  St.  Thomas' 
Parish  furnish  other  names  Avhich  are  perpetuated  to 
the  third  and  fourth  generation  in  the  families  of  Crad- 
ock,  Gill,  Yellott,  Owings,  Cockey,  Carroll,  and  Howard. 
The  last  two  names  have  more  than  local  celebrity, 
for  Charles  Carroll  was  one  of  the  framers  of  the 
Constitution,  and  John   Eager  Howard  was  a  hero   of 


t\)t  J;?oU)arDs(.  110 

tlio  Revolution  whose  gallantry  decided  the  fortunes  of 
the  day  at  the  battle  of  Cowpens.  His  father,  Cor- 
nelius Howard,  was  one  of  the  first  churchwardens,  and 
.Idhii  liiiiisclt',  while  quite  a  young  man,  acted  as  vestry- 
man. His  brother  George,  who  luul  been  educati-d  at 
the  Rev.  Thomas  Cradock's  school,  was  that  divine's 
amanuensis  in  his  later  years.  Another  brother,  Cor- 
nelius, was  a  stanch  Methodist,  an  uncompromising 
Tory,  and  the  hero  of  a  romance.  He  had  been  crossed 
in  hopeless  love,  and  died  mimarried,  leaving  a  request 
that  a  certain  lock  of  hair  to  be  found  among  his 
treasures  should  be  baricil  with  liiiii.  His  tombstone, 
witli  that  of  his  father,  engraved  with  the  Howard  cdnt- 
of-arms,  is  still  to  be  seen  on  the  old  home  place,  which 
has  passed  into  other  hands. 

The  fact  that  the  landed  gentry  had  their  family  bury- 
grounds  on  their  own  estates  explains  why  so  many 
names  recorded  in  the  parish  register  are  not  found  in 
the  churchyard  ;  but  their  descendants  inherit  their  love 
for  the  old  church,  and  leaving  the  parent  parish  of  St. 
Paul's  in  the  hot  and  noisy  town,  they  make  St.  Thomas' 
their  "  Chapel  of  Ease"  for  the  summer  months,  and 
seek  in  many  instances  a  final  resting-place  beneath  the 
royal  oaks  of  its  old  graveyard. 

The  first  vestrymen  of  the  church  of  St.  Thomas, 
which  on  the  death  of  Rev.  Benedict  Bourdillon  in 
1745  became  the  parochial  church  of  a  new  parish, 
were  Xathaniel  Stinchcomb,  John  Gill,  William  Cockey, 
Joshua    Owings,    and    George    Ashman  ;    and    the    fir.^t 


120  t^e  ©lo  215ricfe  Cljurcl;fsi  of  a^ar^lanU. 

rector  was  the  Rev.  Thomas  Cradock,  lately  arrived 
from  England.  This  gentleman  is  in  every  way  a 
striking  figure  on  the  local  background.  Born  at  Wol- 
verham  in  Bedfordshire  in  1718,  educated  by  the  Duke 
of  Bedford  with  his  own  son  at  Cambridge,  having 
within  his  reach  an  English  bishopric,  he  apparently 
destroyed  his  brilhant  prospects,  and  proved  himself  an 
ingrate  to  his  patron,  by  falhng  in  love  with  his  daugh- 
ter; but  being  an  honorable  man,  and  feeling  that  in 
separation  from  her  there  might  be  safety  for  both,  he 
represented  the  case  to  the  duke,  and  prevailed  on  liiui 
to  use  his  influence  with  Lord  Baltimore  to  obtain  for 
him  a  parish  in  Maryland.  This  accomplished,  he  bade 
farewell  to  his  friends,  and  was  rowed  oft"  to  the  vessel 
in  which  he  was  to  sail  for  America.  Upon  entering  his 
cabin  he  found  it  occupied  by  a  shrouded  figure,  who,  to 
his  dismay,  proved  to  be  the  duke's  daughter.  She 
implored  him  to  take  her  with  him,  but  this  he  sternly 
refused  to  do,  reproaching  her  for  thus  risking  her  good 
name ;  then,  leading  her,  under  the  cover  of  darkness,  to 
the  row-boat,  he  sent  her  back  to  land. 

In  1746,  however,  he  consoled  himself  with  a  more 
suitable  wife,  namel)^,  Catherine,  daughter  of  John  Ris- 
teau,  a  Huguenot  driven  from  France  b}'  the  revocation 
of  the  Edict  of  Nantes,  and  for  some  time  sheriff'  of  Balti- 
more County.  So  well  pleased  was  this  gentleman  with 
his  daughter's  choice  that  he  presented  her  with  a  farm 
called  Trentham,  sitiiated  about  ten  miles  from  Baltimore. 
This  farm  is  still  in  the  possession  of  the  Cradock  family, 


»ct)oolma5trrs  in  •' Vc  «OlDrii  Jimr."  liii 

of  wliith  l;u1i  generation  has  fnrnisheil  ve.strvnicii  or 
diiUTliwardeiis  to  t\w  elmrch  of  .St.  'I'liumas.  Soon 
after  his  inarriage  the  \lv\.  Thomas  Craduck  ;h1\  c-rtised 
in  the  "  Maryhiud  Uazette"  fi»r  youni;-  gentlemen,  to 
whom  he  oHered  board  and  ludgiug,  and  tuition  in  Latin 
and  (jreek,  for  twenty  jiounds  a  year  in  advance.  He 
wa.s  patidnized  by  such  famiHes  as  the  Lees  of  St. 
Mary's,  tlie  Barnes  uf  Charles',  the  S|)ri<rps  an<l  the 
Bowies  of  Prince  George's,  the  Dulanys  of  Anne 
Arundel,  and  the  Joneses  and  Howards  of  Baltimore 
County.  The  value  of  such  a  school  can  now  hardlv  be 
estimated.  Free  schools  had  been  established  in  each 
connty  b}-  Act  of  Assembl}-  in  1723,  but  distances  were 
too  great  for  many  to  l)enefit  by  them.  The  well-to-ilo 
planters_,  as  a  rule,  were  dependent  for  their  children's 
instruction  upon  the  uncertain  acquirements  of  inden- 
tured servants,  who  sold  their  services  for  a  certain 
number  of  years  to  jiay  their  2:)assage  over  from  England; 
and  just  as  it  was  the  custom  for  a  large  land-holder  to 
have  his  black.smith  shop,  his  mill  and  his  store,  so  also 
had  he  his  log  school-house,  presided  over  by  a  mas- 
ter who  made  up  for  his  own  ignorance  by  "thumping 
knowledge  into  his  pupils."  As  late  as  the  year  1774, 
advertisements  of  the  following  kind  are  to  be  found 
in  the  "Maryland  Gazette":  — 

To  be  sold,  a  schoolmaster,  an  indented  servant,  wlio  has  two 
years  to  serve.  X.  B.  —  He  is  sold  for  no  fault,  anv  more  than 
we  have  done  with  liiiii.  He  can  learn  bookkeeping^,  and  is  an 
excellent  good  scholar. 


122  €l)c  #10  Wxick  €\)xivtl)cs  of  tTBarrlanD. 

That  lie  was  a  good  teacher,  is  not  stated.  The  Rev. 
Thomas  Cradock,  however,  was  distiugaiished  ahke  for 
liis  hterary  attainments  and  liis  exalted  moral  qualities. 
In  1753,  he  published  a  version  of  the  Psalms,  trans- 
lated from  the  Hebrew  original  into  uniform  heroic 
verse.  He  was  a  great  sufferer  during  his  latter  years, 
and  had  to  dictate  his  sermons  to  an  amanuensis.  When 
deprived  of  the  use  of  all  his  limbs,  he  was  wheeled 
to  the  church,  and  up  the  brick  aisle  to  perform 
his  religious  duties;  and  he  died  at  his  post,  May, 
1770. 

He  could  have  no  higher  eulogy  than  the  following 
obituary  wa-itten  by  a  friend  in  London :  — 

He  was  universally  allowed  to  be  a  sincere  Christian,  a 
polished  scholar,  an  elegant  and  persuasive  preacher,  a  tender 
parent,  and  an  affectionate  husband ;  with  his  piety,  charity, 
benevolence,  and  hospitality,  he  had  the  rare  felicity  of  rendering 
himself  acceptable  to  those  of  a  different  communion. 

Very  different  in  this  last  respect  was  his  successor, 
the  Rev.  Edministon,  who  estranged  many  of  his  con- 
gregation by  his  hostility  to  Methodism,  which  about 
that  time  had  obtained  a  foothold  in  the  county.  That 
one  of  the  first  vestrymen  of  St.  Thomas'  was  among 
the  disaffected,  is  shown  in  tlie  following  extract  from 
the  diary  of  the  Rev.  F.  Asbury,  dated  Nov.  24th, 
1772:  — 

Rode  twenty  miles  to  my  old  friend  Joshua  Owings',  the 
forest   home    of  the    Metliodists,  and   found  a  very    agreeable 


Jtlir  Urti.  Dr.  CoUr  ano  tlir  n^rtljoDists.         !:.>;; 

family.  Behold  an  Israelite  indeed  I  He  was  once  a  sei'iou.s 
cliurehmaii,  and  sought  for  the  truth,  and  now  God  has  revealed 
it  to  him. 

The  Methodists  at  this  time  were  only  a  party  in  tlie 
Church  i>f  England.  It  wa.s  not  till  I7s4,  that  the  IJev. 
Dr.  Coke,  having  come  over  tiuai  England,  convened 
tlie  Methodist  preachers  in  Baltimore  to  organize  into 
a  separate  church.  Before  that  time  these  preachers 
could  neither  baptize,  nor  administer  the  Holy  Com- 
munion, unless  they  had  taken  orders  in  the  Church  of 
England,  and  devout  Methodists  still  turned  to  the 
Church  for  these  offices.  In  fact,  to  this  ver\-  dav  there 
are  Methodists  wliu  Inuk  upon  the  Ejiiscojial  ( 'hiin-li  as 
the  one  for  great  occasions.  A  marriage  receiitl\-  timk 
place  in  the  manager's  house  on  a  large  estate  \\ithiii 
twelve  miles  of  St.  Thomas',  ami  was  spoken  of  in  the 
county  pajjer  as  having  l)een  jierformed  after  the  "  Eng- 
lish form  ;"  for  though  the  parties  belong  to  a  class  or 
clan  which  is  principally  Methodist,  they  do  not  wish 
to  .sever  all  connection  with  the  old  .stock  m  lio  lie  buried 
around  the  parish  church,  —  to  them  the  historical  chunli 
of  Maryland. 

St.  Thomas'  has  been  recentlv  enlarged  bv  the  addi- 
tion  of  a  chancel  lighted  by  three  beautiful  memorial 
windows,  and  a  tran.sept  in  wliich  is  placed  a  fine  organ. 
On  the  wall  of  the  south  tran.sept  is  a  handsome  bra.ss 
tablet  to  the  memory  of  four  of  its  rectors  who  died  in 
charge  of  the  parish.  The  older  part  of  the  church,  Avith 
its  brick  pavement  and  square  pews,  remains  undistin-bed. 


124  tt\t  Mti  IBricb  Cburcljcs  of  a^arplaiiD. 

After  Braddock's  defeat,  in  1755,  these  pews  presented  a 
formidable  aspect  on  Sundays,  when  every  man  carried  a 
gun,  to  be  prepared  for  a  possible  attack  from  Indians. 
We  can  imagine  the  home  scene  on  Saturday  night,  when 
the  entire  household  was  interested  in  the  preparation 
of  arms  and  ammunition ;  for  while  the  men  were  bur- 
nishing their  guns,  the  women  and  children  looked  on 
with  feeling's  of  fear  mingled  with  admiration. 

In  those  days,  tliere  seem  to  have  been  more  adult 
unmarried  sons  living  at  home  than  at  the  present  time ; 
whether  this  was  because  lovers  were  faint-hearted,  or 
because  maidens  were  liard  to  bring  to  terms,  the  fact 
remains  that  baclielors  abounded.  Between  the  years 
1755  and  1763  there  were,  in  the  parish  of  St.  Thomas 
alone,  thirty-nine  bachelors  recorded  as  such ;  for  they, 
as  well  as  light  wines  and  billiard  tables,  were  taxed  to 
defray  the  expenses  of  the  war  with  the  French,  and 
many  paid  this  tax  during  the  entire  period  of  the 
enactment. 

The  graveyard  of  St.  Thomas'  has  its  share  of  amus- 
ing epitaphs,  some  of  which  are  extremely  difficult  to 
decipher  by  reason  of  tlie  wearing  away  of  the  stone. 
For  the  Ijenefit  of  those  who  are  interested  in  such 
matters  we  give  a  few  examples  :  — 

TO  THE  MEMORY  OF 

CECIL  GIST, 

DAUGHTER  OF  CHARLES  &  PRUDENCE  CARNAN  OF  LONDON, 

WHO  DEPARTED  THIS  LIFE 

THE  l^T  DAT  OF  JULY  1770 

AGED  28. 


fe»t.  ?tl)oma5'  CImrrhvarD.  125 

Friendly  stranger,  stop  gaze  on  this  silent  tomb 

The  end  of  nature  in  the  prime  of  youthful  bloom 

Lost  from  the  soft  endearing  ties  of  Life 

And  tender  name  of  daughter,  sister,  mother,  wife 

Ye  blooming  fair,  in  her  your  fading  charms  survey 

She  was  whate'er  your  tender  hearts  can  say 

ilore  than  exceeds  y"  muses  noblest  point  of  thought 

Or  Pope  or  Milton's  verses  ever  taught 

Farewell,  lamented  shade,  I  can  proceed  no  more 

Too  fast  thy  memory  prompts  the  tear  to  flow 

Such  was  y*  will  of  fate,  nor  must  we  murmur  at  y«  rod 

Nor  allwise  dispensations  of  our  God. 

Here  in  hope  we  trust  &  here  our  sorrows  rest: 

The  good  &  virtuous  dead  are  ever  blest. 

Anotlier    oi)ita])li    contains    tlie    followintj    words    of 

admonition  :  — 

Young  &  old  as  you  pass  by. 
As  you  are  so  once  was  I, 
And  as  I  am  so  you  must  be 
So  prepare  for  deatli  &  Eternity. 

A  third,  which  has  cansed  much  inciriincnt  at  a  pour 
sufferer's  expense,  runs  thus :  — 

Afflictions  sore  long  time  I  bore, 

Physicians  where  in  vain 

Till  God  did  please 

&  Death  did  cease 

To  ease  me  of  my  pain. 

And   a    fourth   tells    us   that   a   descendant    of  the   Kev. 

Thomas    Cradock,  a  youth  wlio   died   in    the  twentieth 

year  of  his  age, 

The  paths  of  virtue 
And  of  Science  trod. 
Resigned  his  soul 
To  the  Almighty  God. 


126 


tl)t  ©ID  Wtick  CljurclKs  of  Jpari'lanft. 


Outside  the  walls  of  the  old  "  God's  acre,"  and  in  a 
corner  of  the  church  property  which  has  been  added  to 
from  time  to  time,  there  is  a  patch  of  Scotch  broom. 
This  was  planted  during  the  rectorship  of  the  Rev. 
Charles  C.  Austin,  who  died  in  1849.  It  not  only  serves 
the  purpose  for  whicli  it  was  planted,  namely,  to  prevent 
the  red  clay  in  that  spot  from  washing  into  unsightly 


Silver  bklungixg    ro  Si.    I'homas',  GAiiitisoN   I'lua.M. 


gullies  every  time  there  is  a  lieavy  rain,  but  it  has 
a  very  pretty  bloom,  and  is  precious  to  tlie  botanist. 
Farmers,  indeed,  look  upon  it  as  an  intruder,  but  as 
yet  it  is  confined  to  this  one  corner,  where  it  can  do 
no  harm  to  the  crop  of  dead  men's  bones  sown  amidst 
its  verdure. 


2i  List  of  (©riginal  pansljrs. 


127 


8t.  Thoinus'  possesses  a  luindsouie  silver  service  dating 
from  the  year  1773,  when  it  was  purchased  by  order  of 
the  Vestry. 


There  are  other  old  brick  churches  on  the  western 
shore  of  tlie  Chesapeake,  and  doubtless  much  might  be 
written  about  them  also ;  but  tlie  distinctive  features  of 
Maryland  life  in  tlie  past  have  been  already  treated  in 
the  preceding  pages,  and  so  with  a  list  of  the  original 
parishes  and  of  their  offshoots  up  to  the  time  of  the 
Revolution,  we  will  bid  adieu  for  the  present  to  the 
Old  Brick  Churches  of  Maryland. 


William  &  Mary, 

I  Trinity  Clnircli, 
(  Poplar  Hill  Cliurcli, 
King  &  Queen, 

Christ  Cliiirch, 
All  .'faints'  Chaj.el, 
St.  Andrew's, 

o.    T,     I,     r  West  of  Patiixent 
St.  Paul's,  t     .        ,         .    ^, 
1 II  n  -xi     -;  Hivcr,  later  m  .St. 
All  Faith,   ) 

^  JIary's  Co.. 

Christ  Churcli, 

Middleham  Chapel, 

All  .Saints', 

Willinm  <5r  Mary, 
Port  'robacco, 
Durham,  r  Later  in 

Piscataway  or  ^  Prince 

St.  Jolin's,     iGeorcfe's  Co.,  J 


St.  Mary's  Co. 


^Calvert  Co. 


>■  Charles  Co. 


128  t\)t  (J^lD  215rick  Cljurcljcs;  of  S^ar^lant). 


St.    Margaret's   Westminster, " 

or  Broadneck, 
St.  Anne's,  or  Middleneck, 
All  Hallows',  or  South  River 
St.  James',  or  Herring  Creek,  _. 


Anne  Arundel  Co. 


St.  George's,  or  Spesutia,  ^ 

St.  John's,  or  Gunpowder,         |-  Baltimore  Co. 

St.  Paul's,  or  Patapsco, 


/■ 


Prince  George's  County  was  erected  from  portions  of 
Charles  and  Calvert  Counties  in  1695,  when  Piscataway, 
or  St.  John's  Parish,  Charles  County,  and  most  of  St. 
Paul's  Parish,  Calvert  County,  were  incorporated  with 
the  new  county. 

By  fresh  subdivisions  of  Prince  George's,  Anne  Arun- 
del, and  Baltimore  Counties,  Frederic  and  IMontgomery 
were  erected,  and  a  creation  of  new  parishes  ensued. 
These  are :  — 

Queen  Anne's,  1704 Prince  George's  Co. 

^  ,     ^„„„  I  Later  a  part  of    Montgom- 

Prinee  George's,  1726     ....  „   *  '^ 

{      ery  Co. 

Queen  Caroline,  1728     ....  Later  a  part  of  Howard  Co, 

St.  Thomas',  1712-4.3      ....  Baltimore  Co. 

All  Saints',  1742 Frederic  Co. 

Trinity,  1744 Charles  Co. 

St.  James',  1770 Baltimore  Co. 

(Later  St.  Peter's,  Mont-  )  „     ,     .    ^ 
Eden  i  _„„  Frederic  Co. 

I      gomery,  17(0.     .     .     .  ) 


!tljr   UocU  CirrU  Cljuiclj.  129 

After  the  Kevolutioii,  Prince  George's  Pariisli  was 
subdivided;  ami  one  of  the  oldest  churches  now  stand- 
ing in  the  District  of  Columbia  is  the  Kock  Creek 
Church,  once  belonging  to  Prince  George's  Parish,  but 
made  the  parish  church  of  Rock  Creek  in   llSll. 


BX5918.M3R48 

The  old  brick  churches  of  Maryland 

Prtnceton  TheotoQical  Seminary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  00047  8836 


